When is a fire safety officer mandatory?
A fire protection officer in the company is not mandatory for everyone, but is generally recommended. The fire safety officer advises the company on all aspects of preventive fire protection. As a result, he recognizes fire hazards and proposes fire protection measures so that the company can demonstrate the best possible and legally secured fire protection.
A fire safety officer is mandatory for companies with an increased or high fire risk. The basis for this is the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the technical rules for workplaces, employers' liability insurance associations and insurance companies. In some cases, the latter only grant comprehensive insurance coverage if a fire safety officer has been appointed.
Workplaces with duty for fire safety officer
Industrial plants, goods depots, sales outlets or restaurants are often considered to be workplaces at risk of fire, for which a fire protection officer is mandatory in the company. Specific information on the duty of fire safety officers can be found in the building regulations and permits, the state building code and the fire safety concept and risk assessment.
Often affected by a duty for fire safety officers in the company:
- Industrial buildings with a floor area of more than 5,000 m²
- Retail buildings with a floor area of more than 2,000 m²
- Office and administrative buildings with a floor area of more than 3,000 m²
- Special buildings (e.g. high-rise buildings, clinics, hotels, retirement homes)
Fire protection officer - external or internal?
An internal or external person can be appointed in writing as a fire protection officer. An external fire protection officer has the advantage that he has years of experience in fire protection and is always up-to-date with regard to regulations and standards. In addition, he takes an unbiased look at fire protection in a building.
Alternatively, an internal employee can be appointed as a fire safety officer in a company. To do this, the person must have completed a training course in advance to become a fire protection officer in accordance with the applicable standards and must undergo regular further training. Only in this way is a fire protection officer able to correctly assess the dangers in a company and to face the ever-changing challenges.
Fire safety officer training
A training course for fire protection officers must take into account the current requirements of DGUV 205-003, vfdb guideline 12-09/01 and VdS 3111. During the initial training, the future fire protection officer learns the relevant expertise for the implementation of the tasks. It is significant that the fire protection officer can also apply the knowledge gained in practice. As part of the training to become a fire protection officer, he or she must therefore deepen the technical standards and legal requirements in such a way that, for example, possible fire risks in the company can be identified in practice and suitable fire protection measures can be developed.
At the same time, initial training as a fire protection officer is only valid indefinitely if further training is provided in accordance with DGUV-I 205-003 and VdS 3111. Consequently, supplementary seminars with at least 16 teaching units of 45 minutes each in preventive fire protection must be completed within three years. In addition, it is advisable for all fire protection officers to keep abreast of current fire protection regulations in order to react correctly to legal changes, for example.
CWS seminar for fire protection officers
CWS conducts the training for fire safety officers at its in-house training center - the Fire Safety Academy. In a two-week fire safety officer course, participants first learn the theoretical and legal basics such as standards and regulations, fire theory or fire and explosion hazards. Afterwards, the acquired know-how can be directly applied and internalized in a practical way in the participants' own training workshop. In addition, the seminar includes a practical test in an external industrial company in order to implement all the tasks of the fire protection officer in reality.
Practical course to become a fire protection officer at CWS
Learn more about the two-week fire safety officer seminar at CWS. Contact us for more information.
External fire protection officer in the company
As an alternative to an internal fire protection officer in the company, an external expert can also be appointed in writing. This has the advantage that someone from outside the company has a neutral view of a building and thus avoids the "company blindness". At the same time, external fire protection officers have many years of experience in inspecting a building and coordinating with authorities, specialist companies and partners. The choice of an external and internal fire protection officer in the company must be made individually.
