A fire marshal’s value comes from doing two things consistently. The first is the routine — daily and weekly checks of the workplace’s fire safety arrangements. The second is the emergency response when an alarm sounds. This page covers both, in the order they happen, so you can use it as a working reference rather than a one-time read.

Use this as an example workplace checklist, adapted to the fire risk assessment and the tasks assigned to trained staff. The Fire Safety Order applies in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legislation. Equipment instructions and the premises’ emergency plan determine the actual checks and response.

Daily fire warden checks

Allocate routine checks through the premises’ maintenance programme. Checks of escape routes, doors and obvious hazards may be needed each working day; the list is not a statutory daily inspection schedule for every building.

Fire doors and smoke doors

  • Fire doors are closed, or held open only by a suitable automatic release arrangement; never wedge them open
  • Self-closing mechanisms are working (push the door, watch it close fully)
  • Door seals around the frame are intact (no torn or missing intumescent strips)
  • No damage to glazed panels or door surfaces
  • Fire door signage (“Fire door — keep shut”) is visible

Escape routes and exits

  • All escape routes are completely clear, internally and externally
  • No boxes, furniture or equipment stored against fire exits
  • External exits are not blocked from the outside (parked vehicles, deliveries, bin storage)
  • Final exits can be opened easily from inside while occupied, without searching for a key, in accordance with the escape arrangements
  • Escape route lighting is functional

Fire safety signage

  • Exit signs are visible and illuminated where required
  • Assembly point signs are clearly visible on the way out and at the assembly location
  • Fire action notices are still in place at fire alarm call points
  • No signs damaged, removed, or covered by other notices

Housekeeping and hazards

  • No accumulation of combustible waste in working areas
  • Smoking areas (where they exist) are tidy and ashtrays empty
  • No new electrical hazards (overloaded sockets, damaged cables)
  • No new sources of ignition placed near combustibles
  • New contractors briefed on evacuation procedures and assembly point

Allow enough time to check the assigned area properly. Record defects and action taken, report unresolved problems promptly, and do not undertake repairs beyond your competence.

Weekly fire warden checks

A weekly user test is a conventional routine for workplace fire alarms. Other checks have different frequencies: follow the system instructions, maintenance programme and risk assessment rather than treating every item below as a weekly technical test.

Fire alarm test

  • Test one fire alarm call point per week (rotate through all call points so each is tested over time)
  • Confirm the alarm sounds across the building at the expected volume
  • Check linked functions according to the system’s approved test procedure, coordinating with monitoring services and occupants as necessary
  • Log the test, the call point used, the date and time, and the tester

Fire extinguishers (routine visual check)

  • Each extinguisher is in its correct location
  • Safety pin and tamper seal are intact
  • Pressure gauge (where fitted) shows green
  • No visible damage to the body or hose
  • The annual service tag is current

This is a routine visual check, normally at least monthly under conventional guidance and more often if conditions require. Technical servicing belongs to a competent maintainer; report defects without waiting for the next service.

Emergency lighting

  • Check indicator lights and report faults; arrange the scheduled functional tests through the maintenance programme (normally monthly for conventional emergency lighting)
  • Particularly check stairwells and corridors with limited natural light
  • Record faults promptly and arrange competent repair; testing must not leave the premises without the required emergency cover

Log book and records

  • All daily checks recorded
  • Weekly alarm test logged
  • Any incidents, near-misses or hazards noted
  • Any contractor briefings or visitor inductions documented

When the alarm sounds — the first thirty seconds

This is the part everyone trains for. The principles are straightforward; what makes them work is having done them often enough that they’re automatic when the situation is stressful.

The marshal:

  1. Use the designated identification if immediately available, without delaying escape
  2. Take only the immediately available equipment specified in the plan; do not detour to collect a pack or register
  3. Follow the assigned evacuation duties only while the route and conditions remain safe; do not approach a fire or smoke to reach a panel or starting point

If you discover a fire, raise the alarm immediately and follow the emergency plan. Ensure the fire and rescue service is called on 999 from safety. Do not assume that activating the alarm automatically summons firefighters.

The sweep procedure

A planned sweep is a check of accessible assigned areas while leaving. It must never delay safe escape, involve entering smoke or be treated as proof that nobody remains inside.

Done properly:

  • Follow the planned route only while it remains safe; leave immediately if smoke, heat or another hazard threatens escape
  • Mark off rooms as you check them. Tick boxes on the sweep plan as each compartment is cleared. This protects against doubling back uncertainly later.
  • Check accessible toilets, storerooms, meeting rooms and refuge locations as the plan requires, without entering unsafe areas
  • Close doors behind you as you exit each room. Closed doors slow the spread of fire and smoke. A door left open undoes some of the building’s passive fire protection.
  • Direct anyone you encounter towards the nearest safe exit. Calmly but firmly. Brief instructions: “fire alarm, please leave by [exit], assembly point is [location]”. Don’t get drawn into discussions.
  • Don’t collect belongings. Yours or anyone else’s. People will try.
  • Abandon the sweep if any part becomes unsafe, leave by an available safe route and report areas not checked
  • Don’t go deeper into the building than your assigned zone. The point of zones is to prevent marshals from ending up in more dangerous areas than necessary.

Act promptly and calmly. Never slow down to finish a checklist when conditions require immediate escape; report incomplete checks from safety.

Helping vulnerable occupants

People with mobility, sensory or cognitive impairments — and people with temporary issues like late pregnancy or recent injuries — may not be able to evacuate the same way as everyone else.

Agree suitable evacuation arrangements with people who need assistance, including visitors. A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan may specify trained helpers, equipment, communication and a route to a place of total safety.

The marshal’s job is to:

  • Know who in their assigned area has a PEEP. This means knowing it before the alarm, not finding out during.
  • Carry out the agreed assistance arrangements within your training; if they cannot be followed safely, raise the problem immediately through the emergency communication procedure
  • Use evacuation chairs only if trained and the plan specifies them. Provide enough trained helpers when needed; a chair is not the only possible evacuation method.
  • Know the refuge locations and communication arrangements. A refuge is a temporary place of relative safety within an evacuation plan, not a place to leave someone awaiting the fire service.

Plan for visitors and temporary needs before an emergency. The evacuation strategy must include safe onward assistance from a refuge and must not depend on firefighters arriving to complete routine evacuation.

At the assembly point

Once outside, the marshal takes a roll call. The point of the assembly point procedure is to confirm everyone is out and to give the fire and rescue service accurate information about anyone who might still be inside.

The marshal:

  • Uses whatever record the workplace relies on — signing-in book, in/out board, employee list, attendance app
  • Counts and identifies everyone present in their group
  • Record anyone unaccounted for and their last known location; distinguish confirmed safe people from assumptions based on a partial sighting
  • Reports to the senior fire warden or to the fire and rescue service when they arrive — including the location of the fire if known, anyone in a refuge area, any other relevant observations
  • Holds the line on re-entry. People will want to go back in. Bags, laptops, parked cars in the underground level, half-finished cigarettes. The answer is no until the fire service clears it. If you’re going to be unpopular for thirty seconds in your fire marshal career, it’ll be here.

Post-incident actions

After a real incident, await clearance from the fire and rescue service before re-entry. After a drill, follow the organiser’s controlled return procedure, then review what happened.

  • Don’t re-enter until officially cleared. Even if the situation looks calm.
  • Take part in the debrief. What went well, what didn’t, where the procedure broke down. Pre- and post-drill debriefs are standard practice; pre- and post-incident debriefs should be too.
  • Log the incident. Even minor incidents and near-misses should be recorded — what happened, what was done, how long the evacuation took, any issues encountered.
  • Document evidence. Witness observations, photographs of any damage, any equipment that failed to perform.
  • Feed observations back into the fire risk assessment. A fire is the strongest possible test of the assessment. Issues that came up — slow evacuation, blocked routes, a missing PEEP, a marshal who didn’t know the procedure — should result in changes.

Should the fire warden be the last person to leave?

A fire warden should not remain inside merely to be the last person out. Check only the assigned accessible areas while safe, leave promptly and report anything incomplete.

Whatever title the workplace uses, safe escape takes priority over completing a sweep. Do not go back inside or extend the search beyond the planned duties.

We’ve covered the marshal/warden split in detail on the fire marshal vs fire warden page.

Common questions

How often should fire drills happen?

Government workplace guidance recommends at least one fire drill each year, with results recorded. The risk assessment, occupancy, shifts and lessons from previous drills may require more frequent practice; there is no universal quarterly or termly rule for every sector.

What if my sweep route is blocked?

Stop the sweep, leave by the nearest safe exit, report the blockage. Don’t push through smoke, don’t try to find an alternate route mid-sweep — exit and report.

What do I do if someone refuses to evacuate?

Insist firmly. “There’s a fire alarm. Please leave by [exit] now.” If they still refuse, note their location and continue the sweep. Don’t physically force anyone, don’t stay arguing — report it at the assembly point so the fire service knows.

Do I have to do the sweep alone?

Larger zones often have two marshals working together for safety. Smaller zones — a single floor of a small office — usually have one. Whatever the arrangement, it should be defined in advance, not improvised.

What records do I need to keep?

A fire safety log book covering daily checks, weekly alarm tests, drill observations, hazards spotted and resolved, contractor briefings, and any incidents or near-misses. The format isn’t prescribed — many workplaces use a paper log book; some use digital systems. The principle is consistent records over time.

Use this page as a reference when preparing a site-specific checklist. Tailor the items and frequencies to the fire risk assessment, maintenance programme and assigned duties, and keep current copies where they are needed.

For more on the broader role, see the fire marshal responsibilities page and the main fire marshal guide. If you’re sourcing equipment, the equipment and identification section covers vests, kits and storage.

If you’d like the checklist alongside formal training, our Fire Warden Training course covers everything in this routine and the wider role. £18 per learner, RoSPA approved and CPD accredited, 60 to 90 minutes online from any device, instant certificate on passing, and free unlimited retakes. Bulk discounts kick in from 10 delegates upwards.

Sources & references

Official guidance checked on 15 October 2026. Requirements vary by UK nation and premises.

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Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about workplace health & safety, fire safety and accredited online training for Fire Warden Training, part of Online CPD Academy.