Course and certificate
Fire Marshal and Fire Warden Awareness
For employees in the UK who are, or may be, appointed as fire marshals or fire wardens in an office, shop, warehouse, factory or other workplace. Eight short lessons in plain English cover the role and its limits under the Fire Safety Order, daily checks, the first minutes of an alarm, sweeping an area, helping people who need support, the roll call and the fire and rescue service, extinguisher types in theory, and drills and records, followed by a 25-question test. It is awareness training, not practical fire marshal training, and it does not replace the instruction your employer must give you.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 55 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- 28 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £12.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Employees appointed as fire marshals or fire wardens
- Staff who may be asked to take on the role
- Office, shop, warehouse and factory managers who support marshals
- Facilities and building staff who help with evacuation
- Marshals who want to refresh their knowledge between practical courses
02Syllabus
- 01The fire marshal role: law and limits
- 02Daily checks and spotting hazards
- 03When the alarm sounds: the first minutes
- 04Sweeping an area and moving people out
- 05Helping people who need support to leave
- 06Assembly point, roll call and the fire and rescue service
- 07Fire classes and extinguishers: the theory
- 08Drills, records and keeping up to date
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- gov.uk — Fire safety in the workplace
- HM Government — Fire safety risk assessment
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 15
- BS EN 3 and BS 7863 — extinguisher colour coding
- London Fire Brigade — Fire safety
- UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018
06Questions
Does the law require fire marshals or fire wardens?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 does not use those titles. Articles 13, 15 and 18 require the responsible person, usually the employer, to nominate or appoint competent persons for fire-fighting measures, evacuation and help with fire precautions, in numbers that are adequate for the premises. Article 21 requires training. Scotland and Northern Ireland have similar rules. The law names no particular certificate and no fixed number of marshals.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished the course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their needs.
Does this make me a qualified fire marshal?
No. It is awareness training in the theory of the role. It gives you no licence and no practical competence. Your employer must still appoint you, show you your own building and fire plan, practise sweeps and drills with you, and give any practical training with equipment such as extinguishers.
Does this replace general fire safety awareness?
No. It builds on it. All employees need general fire safety awareness and the information about their own workplace. Our Fire Safety Awareness course covers that basic training and is not repeated here.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about one hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £12 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date. Fire safety training must be repeated periodically, and many employers refresh fire marshals every one to three years, so the certificate shows a renewal date 36 months after you pass. Your employer may ask for refresher training sooner.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.