Fire marshal checklist: daily, weekly and emergency procedure

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.

The checklist below applies to the standard UK fire marshal role under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Specific workplaces will add to it based on their fire risk assessment — kitchens, laboratories, warehouses with flammable storage all have additional checks. The core remains the same.

Daily fire warden checks

These are the checks that should happen every working day, ideally at the start of the shift before the workplace fills up.

Fire doors and smoke doors

• All fire doors are closed and not wedged 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 exit doors open easily without keys
• 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

A daily walk through the assigned area takes about five to ten minutes once you're used to the route. Short interruptions logged in the fire safety log book — wedged door fixed, exit cleared, contractor briefed — build into useful evidence over time.

Weekly fire warden checks

Some duties run on a weekly cycle rather than daily. The fire alarm test in particular is a defining workplace fire safety routine.

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
• Confirm any linked systems respond correctly (closing fire doors on magnetic holds, shutting down ventilation, etc.)
• Log the test, the call point used, the date and time, and the tester

Fire extinguishers (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 visual inspection only. The full annual service is a competent technician's job, not the fire marshal's.

Emergency lighting

• Spot-check that emergency lighting illuminates correctly (most systems have a test switch or scheduled test)
• Particularly check stairwells and corridors with limited natural light
• Log any failed units for replacement

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. Puts on their high-visibility vest immediately. The vest is what makes the role visible to occupants. Without it, the marshal is just another person in the corridor.
2. Collects the sweep pack if the workplace uses one — sweep route plan, clipboard, list of expected occupants.
3. Heads to the assigned start point. This depends on the local procedure. Most workplaces have marshals begin sweeping their assigned area straight away. Some have marshals report first to the fire alarm panel for a briefing on where the alarm originated.

If the marshal is the person who discovered the fire (rather than responding to an existing alarm), the order changes: raise the alarm first by activating the nearest break-glass call point, then call the fire and rescue service if the alarm system doesn't do it automatically. Then begin the standard procedure.

The sweep procedure

The sweep is the core emergency duty. It's the systematic check of the assigned area to confirm everyone has left.

Done properly:

• Work through the area in a defined route. The route should be predetermined — ad-libbing under stress wastes time and risks missing rooms.
• 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.
• Look in toilets, storerooms, meeting rooms, and refuge points. These are where people get missed. Toilets in particular — someone genuinely doesn't hear the alarm if they're absorbed in their phone.
• 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.
• Don't deviate from the route. If the next room can't be reached safely (smoke, heat, blocked corridor), stop the sweep, exit, and report what you saw.
• 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.

The sweep should be unhurried but not slow. Walking pace, not running. Running marshals make occupants more anxious; walking marshals project calm authority.

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.

Where a vulnerable occupant has been identified in advance, they'll usually have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) on file. The PEEP specifies the procedure for that person — typically involving evacuation chairs, a refuge area, or buddy arrangements with named colleagues.

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.
• Execute the PEEP as specified. Don't improvise. The procedure was designed to be the safest option for that person.
• Use evacuation chairs only with proper training. Evacuation chair use needs separate training; a fire marshal certificate alone doesn't cover it. Workplaces with stairs and any chance of a wheelchair user (staff, visitors, contractors) should have trained users available on every shift.
• Note refuge area locations. Refuge areas are protected spaces near stairwells where someone who can't take stairs waits for the fire and rescue service. The marshal communicates the location to the fire service on arrival — refuge areas only work if someone tells the rescuers where to look.

For occupants without a pre-existing PEEP — visitors, new starters, anyone with a temporary issue — the marshal makes the best judgement call: either help them evacuate via the standard route if it's manageable, or get them to a refuge area if the stairs aren't viable.

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
• Notes anyone unaccounted for — and crucially, also notes who they've seen leaving so the fire service knows who not to look for
• 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

Once the fire service has cleared the building (or given the all-clear at the end of a drill), the marshal's role doesn't quite stop.

• 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?

When a workplace splits the fire marshal and fire warden roles (which most don't), the warden is conventionally the last person out of their assigned area, having completed the sweep. They don't stay inside indefinitely — they sweep their zone, exit at the end of it, and report at the assembly point.

When there's a single role with a single title — which is more common — the same person does the sweep and reports for the roll call. Either way, the principle is the same: complete the sweep, then leave. Don't go back in, don't deviate, don't search beyond the assigned zone.

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?

At minimum, once a year. More often in higher-risk environments — schools, nurseries, care homes, hospitals tend to drill termly or quarterly. Each drill should be different — different scenarios, different exits assumed blocked — to avoid the procedure becoming muscle memory for one specific routine.

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.

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Use this page as a reference document. The specific items you check daily will be tailored to your workplace through the fire risk assessment. If you want a printable version sized for a clipboard, we've got a downloadable PDF checklist — keep one in the marshal's sweep pack and one near the fire panel.

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

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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.