How Regularly Should a Workplace Carry Out Fire Drills?
Fire drills are an important part of workplace fire safety. They give employees an opportunity to practise emergency procedures, help employers identify problems with evacuation arrangements, and ensure everyone knows what to do if a real fire occurs.
But how often should a workplace fire drill be carried out in the UK?
While there isn’t one set fire drill frequency that applies to every workplace, employers and those responsible for premises must ensure appropriate fire safety arrangements are in place. The frequency of fire drills should reflect the risks, the workplace, the people using the premises and the findings of the fire risk assessment.
In this guide, we explain how often workplace fire drills should be carried out, why they are important and what employers should consider when planning them.
Are Workplace Fire Drills a Legal Requirement?
For most non-domestic premises in England and Wales, fire safety duties are primarily governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Responsible Person must take appropriate fire safety precautions, including establishing procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger and providing employees with appropriate information, instruction and training.
Fire drills are an important way of testing whether those emergency procedures work effectively in practice.
Employers shouldn’t therefore view a fire drill as simply a box-ticking exercise. It provides an opportunity to check whether employees can evacuate safely and whether the arrangements set out in the workplace’s emergency plan are effective.
How Often Should Fire Drills Be Carried Out?
Government fire safety guidance recommends carrying out at least one fire drill each year and recording the results.
However, this should not be treated as a universal maximum or a rule that every workplace only needs one drill annually.
Some organisations may need to conduct fire drills more frequently depending on factors such as:
- the level of fire risk
- the size and complexity of the premises
- the number of employees
- shift patterns
- staff turnover
- the presence of vulnerable people
- significant changes to the building or workplace
- changes to evacuation arrangements
- findings from previous fire drills or the fire risk assessment
Your fire risk assessment and emergency arrangements should help determine an appropriate frequency for your workplace.
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Why Are Regular Fire Drills Important?
Knowing where the nearest fire exit is isn’t the same as practising an evacuation.
During a real emergency, employees may be under significant pressure and need to respond quickly. Regular fire drills help make emergency procedures familiar and provide an opportunity to identify problems before a real fire occurs.
A fire drill may highlight issues such as employees being unsure where to assemble, evacuation routes becoming congested, people using the wrong exits or fire doors and escape routes being obstructed.
These findings can then be used to improve the organisation’s fire safety arrangements.
When Might Additional Fire Drills Be Needed?
There are circumstances where it may be sensible to carry out an additional fire drill rather than waiting until the next planned exercise.
For example, another drill may be appropriate following a significant change to the workplace, such as an office relocation, building refurbishment or alteration to escape routes.
Businesses may also want to conduct additional drills when there has been significant employee turnover, new working arrangements have been introduced or a previous drill has identified problems with the evacuation process.
If your organisation operates different shifts, consideration should also be given to whether employees across those shifts have an appropriate opportunity to practise the emergency procedures.
What Should Happen During a Workplace Fire Drill?
A fire drill should simulate the actions employees would be expected to take during a real emergency.
Employees should respond to the fire alarm, follow the designated escape routes and proceed to the appropriate assembly point.
Fire wardens or fire marshals may have additional responsibilities depending on the organisation’s emergency arrangements, such as checking designated areas where it is safe to do so and helping direct people towards exits.
The drill should also provide an opportunity to assess whether evacuation procedures are working as intended.
What Should Employers Check During a Fire Drill?
Simply sounding the alarm and watching everyone leave the building isn’t enough.
Employers should consider whether:
- the alarm could be heard throughout the premises
- employees responded appropriately
- escape routes were clear
- fire exits were accessible
- employees knew their assembly point
- evacuation took place safely
- fire wardens understood their responsibilities
- arrangements for anyone requiring assistance worked effectively
- any unexpected problems occurred
Any issues identified should be reviewed and appropriate corrective action taken.
Should Fire Drills Be Recorded?
Yes. Fire drill results should be recorded as part of the organisation’s fire safety arrangements.
Records may include the date and time of the drill, areas or shifts involved, evacuation observations, problems identified and any actions required.
Keeping suitable records provides evidence that drills are being carried out and, importantly, allows businesses to identify recurring issues and monitor whether improvements have been effective.
The Role of Fire Wardens and Fire Marshals
Fire wardens or fire marshals can play an important role in workplace fire safety.
Depending on the organisation’s arrangements, their responsibilities may include helping employees evacuate, checking designated areas, identifying fire hazards, monitoring escape routes and supporting fire drills.
However, appointing fire wardens alone isn’t enough. Those given fire safety responsibilities should have suitable information, instruction and training so they understand what is expected of them.
What About New Employees?
New employees should receive appropriate fire safety information as part of their induction.
They should know how to raise the alarm, what the fire alarm sounds like, their nearest suitable escape routes, where they should assemble and what they are expected to do during an evacuation.
Employers shouldn’t assume that someone will know what to do simply because they have worked in another workplace before. Every building and organisation can have different emergency arrangements.
Common Fire Drill Mistakes
Fire drills are most useful when businesses actually learn from them.
One common mistake is treating the exercise as complete as soon as everyone reaches the assembly point. Instead, employers should review what happened and consider whether anything could be improved.
Other issues may include employees ignoring the alarm, stopping to collect personal belongings, blocked escape routes, confusion at assembly points or fire wardens being unclear about their responsibilities.
These issues should be addressed rather than simply recorded and forgotten.
Fire Safety Training and Workplace Preparedness
Fire drills and fire safety training work together.
A fire drill allows employees to practise an evacuation, while training helps them understand why fire safety procedures matter and what they should do during an emergency.
Appropriate training can help employees recognise common fire hazards, understand evacuation procedures, respond correctly to fire alarms and contribute to preventing workplace fires in the first place.
Keep Your Workplace Prepared
Fire emergencies can develop quickly, which is why employees need to know how to respond before an emergency happens.
Regular fire drills, suitable emergency procedures, an up-to-date fire risk assessment and appropriate employee training all contribute to effective workplace fire safety.
Don’t wait for a real emergency to discover that your evacuation arrangements don’t work.
