Fire safety awareness for every employee
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, every employer in England and Wales has a duty to provide fire safety information, instruction and training to all employees. This isn't a recommendation — it's Article 21, and the duty applies the moment a new employee starts and at regular intervals thereafter. Most fire risk assessments specify that this training should be repeated every 12 months.
This course is the cost-effective, time-efficient way to discharge that duty. In about an hour, every employee gains a working understanding of how fire develops, the most common workplace hazards, what to do when the alarm sounds, and how to evacuate the building safely. It's written for staff with no prior fire safety knowledge and works equally well across office, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, warehouse, healthcare and education environments.
Fully online, accessible on phone, tablet or desktop, and assessed by a single short multiple choice paper. Pass and your NFAQ digital certificate is issued within three working days, valid for three years.
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Learning outcomes
By the end of this course you will be able to:
Identify the basic legal duties placed on employers and employees under the Fire Safety Order 2005
Explain the fire triangle and the most common causes of workplace fires
Recognise common fire hazards in your workplace and the everyday actions that reduce risk
Identify the different types of fire alarm, fire detection and emergency lighting in use
Respond correctly when the fire alarm sounds and know your nearest exit and assembly point
Recognise the different classes of fire and the correct extinguisher type for each
Decide when it is appropriate to attempt to tackle a small fire — and when to leave and evacuate
Understand the role of the Fire Warden and how to support them during an evacuation
Six modules — approximately 1 hour
Each module ends with a short knowledge check. The course is designed to be completed in a single sitting, but progress is saved automatically so you can return at any point within your six-month access window.
1 Fire Safety Law and Your Responsibilities Understand the legal framework that governs fire safety at work and the duties placed on you as an employee — separate from those placed on your employer.
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — what it covers
- The Responsible Person — usually your employer
- Article 21 — the duty to provide fire safety information and training
- Your duties as an employee under Article 23
- The Fire Risk Assessment — what it is and why you should know where yours is kept
- Why fire safety training is repeated annually in most workplaces
2 How Fire Starts and Spreads A simple, practical understanding of fire — the foundation that helps you recognise hazards and make sensible decisions during an emergency.
- The fire triangle — heat, fuel and oxygen
- Common ignition sources at work
- Common fuel sources — paper, packaging, liquids, dust, waste
- How fire spreads — conduction, convection, radiation and direct burning
- Why smoke and toxic gases are the main cause of fatalities
- The classes of fire — A, B, C, D, F and electrical
3 Workplace Fire Hazards Recognise the everyday hazards in your work environment and the simple, practical actions you can take to prevent a fire from starting in the first place.
- Electrical hazards — overloaded sockets, damaged equipment, charging cables
- Cooking and kitchen hazards in office and hospitality settings
- Smoking, vaping and the disposal of cigarettes
- Storage of flammable materials and chemicals
- Waste, recycling and the importance of clear escape routes
- Hot work — soldering, welding, cooking — and the risks involved
- Good housekeeping — your daily contribution to fire safety
4 Fire Detection, Alarms and Means of Escape The systems built into your building to detect fire, warn you to leave, and give you a safe route out — and what to do when one of them isn't working as it should.
- Smoke and heat detectors — how they work
- Manual call points — how and when to operate them
- The fire alarm — recognising the sound and reacting correctly
- Emergency lighting and exit signage
- Escape routes, fire doors and final exits
- Why fire doors must be kept shut and never wedged open
- Reporting faults — alarms, lighting, blocked routes, propped doors
5 Fire Extinguishers — A Working Knowledge Know your extinguishers, know which to use on which fire — and just as importantly, know when to leave them alone and walk out.
- The five extinguisher types — water, foam, dry powder, CO₂, wet chemical
- Recognising extinguishers by colour band and label
- Matching the extinguisher to the class of fire
- The PASS technique — Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
- When NOT to fight a fire — the decision to evacuate
- Fire blankets — when and how to use them
6 Evacuation — What To Do When the Alarm Sounds The single most important skill in this course. When the alarm sounds, what you do in the next 60 seconds matters more than anything else you've learned.
- What to do when the fire alarm sounds — leave immediately
- Why you should never use lifts during a fire
- Closing doors and windows behind you to slow fire spread
- Following Fire Wardens, signage and emergency lighting
- Helping colleagues with mobility, sensory or other access needs
- Reporting to your assembly point and the roll call
- Why you must never re-enter the building until told it is safe
- Fire drills — your chance to practise without the pressure
Who should take this course?
This is a Level 1 awareness qualification — the basic fire safety training that every employee in every UK workplace should hold. There are no entry requirements and no prior knowledge is assumed.
Office and admin staff
Every employee in commercial offices — from new starters during induction through to annual refresher training.
Retail and customer-facing staff
Shop floor, hospitality, food service and front-of-house staff working in venues open to the public.
Warehouse and logistics
All staff in warehousing, distribution, manufacturing and industrial settings where fire load is elevated.
Care and healthcare
Care home, clinical and support staff in environments where evacuation planning is more complex.
Education and public sector
School, college, council and public service staff requiring annual fire safety awareness training.
Construction and contractors
Site-based and visiting trades who need workplace fire safety awareness alongside their site-specific induction.
Assessment — one short paper
Assessment is by a single online multiple choice paper. Results are instant. Pass and your NFAQ digital certificate is issued within three working days of completion.
Multiple choice assessment
What the assessment covers
Learners who do not pass on their first attempt receive feedback identifying the topic areas to review before resitting.
NFAQ digital certificate
NFAQ Level 1 Award in Fire Safety in the Workplace (NFAQ-FSW-L1)
Your NFAQ digital certificate is issued within three working days of passing the assessment. Each certificate carries a unique reference number instantly verifiable at nfaq.co.uk/verify — providing your employer and any visiting fire safety auditor with confidence that your fire safety awareness training is current and recognised. Refresher training is recommended every 12 months in line with most fire risk assessments.
Frequently asked questions
Is fire safety training a legal requirement at work?
Does this course replace hands-on extinguisher training?
How often should employees take this course?
Do I need to take a different course if I'm a Fire Warden?
Can I enrol my whole workforce at once?
Can I take this on my phone?
Discharge your fire safety training duty
Enrol today and complete your Fire Safety Awareness training in about an hour. Six months' access, fully online, NFAQ digital certificate on completion.