Course and certificate
Portable Fire Extinguisher Awareness
For employees in any US workplace where portable fire extinguishers are provided. Seven short lessons in plain English cover the OSHA rules, emergency action and fire prevention plans, the fire classes, extinguisher types and ratings, when to fight a fire and when to leave, the PASS method, and inspection, followed by a 20-question test. It is awareness education, not hands-on extinguisher training.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Languages
- English, Español, Português
- Lessons
- 7
- Time needed
- About 40 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 20 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 1 year
- Content updated
- October 28, 2026
- Certificate fee
- $15.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Office, retail and warehouse employees
- Factory, restaurant and hospitality workers
- New hires who need extinguisher education in their first week
- Temporary, seasonal and part-time workers
- Anyone who wants a yearly refresher on extinguisher basics
02Syllabus
- 01The rules: OSHA and fire extinguishers
- 02Emergency action and fire prevention plans
- 03How fires burn and the fire classes
- 04Extinguisher types, labels and ratings
- 05Should you fight the fire? Deciding, and getting out
- 06Using an extinguisher: the PASS method
- 07Inspection, maintenance and what you should report
03Assessment
20 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.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157
- NFPA 10
- General fire safety guidance
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.39
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.155
06Questions
Does OSHA require fire extinguisher training?
Yes, where the employer provides extinguishers for employees to use. 29 CFR 1910.157(g) requires an educational program on the general principles of extinguisher use and the hazards of early-stage firefighting, on first employment and at least annually. Employees designated to use firefighting equipment under the emergency action plan must also be trained in using it. The law does not name a particular course or certificate.
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 it is not an OSHA card or endorsed by OSHA. Your employer decides whether this training meets their needs.
Does this course give me hands-on practice with an extinguisher?
No. This course covers the education requirement: the principles, the fire classes, the types of extinguisher, the PASS method and when to leave. Hands-on practice for employees designated to use extinguishers is the employer's responsibility. An online course cannot replace it.
Does this replace what my employer must tell me about my workplace?
No. Your employer must still give you the emergency action plan and the fire prevention plan for your own site: where the extinguishers and exits are, what the alarm sounds like, the assembly point and whether you are expected to fight a small fire or always leave. Ask them if you have not been told.
Am I allowed to fight a fire at work?
Only if your employer's plan says so and you are prepared and equipped. Some workplaces require total evacuation, and everyone leaves when the alarm sounds. If you are unsure, raise the alarm, call 911 and leave.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 20-question test in about 45 minutes. 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: $15 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 standard requires the education at least annually, so the certificate shows a renewal date 12 months after you pass.
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.