Annual fire protection assistant training online: What ASR A2.2, DGUV and insurers really require

Fire protection assistant training is one of the employer's recurring instruction obligations in accordance with Section 12 ArbSchG and Appendix 2.2 ArbStättV. ASR A2.2 specifies that training must generally take place every three to five years and instruction must take place annually. DGUV Information 205-023 describes the minimum content and practical part.

Purely online training courses are not recognised for initial training because the extinguishing exercise is mandatory. The annual repetition, on the other hand, can be largely digital, provided theory and reflection are coupled with verifiable monitoring of learning objectives. This article classifies legal bases, provider verification and evidence documentation.

According to Section 10 of the ArbSchG, the employer is obliged to take fire-fighting and evacuation measures. Section 4 ArbStättV with Annex 2.2 requires a sufficient number of employees who are qualified to fight fires. The technical rule for workplaces ASR A2.2 takes care of the specification.

ASR A2.2 Section 7.3 recommends five percent of employees as fire protection assistants. In areas with an increased risk of fire or special risks, the proportion should be set higher, for example in hospitals, nursing homes, workshops or warehouses.

DGUV Information 205-023 describes training content. Theory covers the basics of fire protection, operational fire protection organisation, behaviour in the event of a fire, function and effectiveness of fire extinguishers. Practice requires the use of fire extinguishers on a real or simulated practice fire.

The training and further education must be repeated regularly, usually every three to five years. In between, Section 12 ArbSchG requires annual instruction. This annual instruction is not identical to the initial training, but rather a refresher appointment.

The difference between the initial training and repetition is the key to the online question. What applies to initial training does not automatically apply to annual instruction. For a complete overview of role responsibilities see Fire Protection Officer.

According to DGUV 205-023, the initial training must include a practical extinguishing exercise. This exercise cannot be replaced digitally. Pure online initial training does not meet the requirements, is vulnerable to audit and can be viewed as inadequate by insurers.

The annual training in accordance with Section 12 ArbSchG does not formally require a new practical part. It should address known content, operational changes and new risks. Digital instruction with an active component is permitted here.

Active components are: learning goal checks, quizzes, knowledge questions, company-specific tasks. Simply watching videos without control is not enough. The supervisory authorities are guided by Section 12 Paragraph 1 Sentence 3 ArbSchG: the instruction must be geared towards the workplace and the activities.

A hybrid structure is recommended. Theory and knowledge test take place online, a short practical reminder takes place once every three years on site. This means that the fire extinguisher exercise remains part of the cycle.

Anyone who employs employees in the field, in the home office or at decentralized locations gains reach through online modules. The learning goal control replaces the attendance list, the quiz score the signature.

CIVAC offers the learning goal control as an audit template in the workspace. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready.

There is no state accreditation for fire protection assistant online training. Recognition is derived from the fulfilment of the DGUV content and the learning objective control. Insurers and supervisors check based on the documented teaching content and the learning success control.

Criteria for reliable online training: complete theory according to DGUV 205-023, company-specific content (assembly point, escape and rescue routes, fire protection regulations), interactive knowledge questions with a minimum number of points, participant verification, certificate with date and content.

Providers should name certified lecturers who keep the content up to date and the platform Operate GDPR compliant. EU data residency, order processing contract according to Art. 28 GDPR and a TOM concept are standard.

Insurers usually accept online repetitions if the initial training is in-person with a practical component. Some insurance companies require an express reference to a fire protection officer according to DGUV regulation 1 or DGUV information 205-003.

Before signing a contract with an online provider, we recommend contacting the insurer. If the insurer excludes online repetitions, an alternative solution must be chosen. The answer should be in the file.

CIVAC provides the provider checklist as a template and documents the selection decision in the workspace. To order an external fire protection officer, visit the role of fire protection officer.

The annual training should address operational changes and specific risks. Six building blocks form the core. They can be mapped digitally if the learning objective control is integrated.

Module one: legal basis and obligations. § 10 ArbSchG, ASR A2.2, DGUV 205-023. Employees must be aware of their obligation to fight fires in the early stages and the scope of their authority.

Component two: operational fire protection organisation. Who is the fire protection officer, who is the fire protection assistant, who is the safety specialist? The reporting line and the escalation steps must be explained.

Module three: fire classes, extinguishing agents and fire extinguishers. Fire classes A to F, suitable extinguishing agents, range, duration of action. Incorrect extinguishing agents on metal fires or grease fires are common mistakes.

Module four: escape and rescue routes, assembly point, fire protection regulations parts A to C. Current plans must be shown digitally and company-specific additions must be created in the module.

Module five: behaviour in the event of a fire, alarm, evacuation. Call 112, warn people, close doors, start evacuation. The sequence must be practiced, at least at the theory level.

Module six: Learning objective control. At least five to ten knowledge questions with documented answers. A passed inspection replaces the confirmation of attendance. The inventory is saved with date and score.

In the audit, the supervisory authority and the professional association check the evidence of instruction. Section 12 ArbSchG requires documentation. Evidence must be kept for at least five years. In practice, ten years is considered a safe mark.

Necessary content: name of the employee, date of instruction, content (list of topics), duration, lecturer or platform, result of the learning objective control. A signature is helpful; on digital platforms, electronic confirmation is sufficient.

Also to be kept: appointment certificate from the fire protection officer, fire protection regulations parts A to C, fire protection risk assessment, escape and rescue route plan, training matrix with repeat dates.

Frequent findings in audits: missing learning objective control, missing company-specific content, expired initial training, no connection to the fire protection regulations, no entry in the Training matrix. These gaps are difficult to close without a system.

A central training matrix connects employees, roles, training courses and repetition periods. It shows due dates, points out gaps and provides the audit overview in one click.

CIVAC integrates the training matrix with the appointment certificate, reporting line and 490 audit templates. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives or have our representatives order it. Audit-proof, documented, § 12 ArbSchG-proof.

Property insurers (fire, business interruption) check the fire protection organisation when concluding the contract and in the event of damage. Clauses in the General Conditions for Fire Insurance (AFB) often refer to statutory fire protection obligations.

VdS requirements, such as VdS 2000 or VdS 2304, go beyond the statutory obligation. They require a trained fire protection officer, documented inspections, regular fire protection assistant training and exercises. For VdS-certified systems, these requirements are part of the contract.

In the event of damage, the insurer checks compliance. A missing or incomplete fire protection assistant training can lead to a reduction in benefits and, in extreme cases, to freedom from benefits, Section 81 VVG. The burden of proof for compliance lies with the company.

Online repetitions are permitted in most insurance policies if the initial training was in-person. Constellations are controversial in which the online provider does not document learning objective control or the content is incomplete.

Recommended practice: Before concluding a contract with the online provider, ask the insurer in writing for confirmation of recognition. Place this confirmation in the fire protection file and link it to the training matrix.

CIVAC documents the insurer confirmation as a separate document in the workspace, links it to the training matrix and reminds you before extending the contract. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready.

Classic face-to-face training courses cost between 50 and 150 euros per participant plus travel time. For 100 fire protection assistants, that's 5,000 to 15,000 euros per year, plus internal expenses for organisation and attendance.

Online modules cost between 15 and 50 euros per participant, with significantly less organisational effort. The modules are available 24/7 and fit into off-peak times. This is a noticeable relief for distributed locations.

Scaling is worthwhile from around 30 fire protection assistants. For smaller teams, face-to-face training per year can be efficient because organisational efforts are concentrated on a few dates.

The combination with the three-yearly practical round is important. Anyone who has completed the initial training in person and plans a refresher course with extinguishing exercises every three years can train online for two years in between. This is the most common practice.

Operationally, the online portion pays off through the working time saved. If 100 employees each train 90 minutes online instead of 4 hours in person, that is a difference of 250 hours, i.e. around 1.5 full-time months.

Calculation and training templates are available in the CIVAC workspace. The reporting line shows management who was trained, when, in what form, and when the next due date is due.

Three roles are often confused. Fire protection officers, fire protection assistants and evacuation assistants have different duties and qualifications. The online question is different for each role.

The fire protection officer according to DGUV Information 205-003 is a position with comprehensive responsibility. He advises the company management, draws up the fire protection regulations, coordinates inspections and monitors the fire protection assistants. The order is made in writing and is deposited with the property insurer.

The fire protection assistant is an operational assistant with a task in the development phase. He fights small fires, directs people to the collection point and supports the evacuation. The training is much more limited and annual repetition is mandatory.

The evacuation assistant complements the fire protection assistant for larger properties. He carries out an assigned area clearance and reports the completeness. The role is not legally defined, but is established in many fire protection regulations.

Fire protection officer training is usually partly possible online, but the examination is usually carried out in person. The fire protection officer's annual training can take place online, provided the content and learning objective monitoring meet the DGUV requirements.

Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. In the workspace, all three roles are linked to the appointment certificate, training matrix and reporting line, accessible per location and per person.

Three steps lead to an audit-proof online repetition. First: choose a provider. Second: establish evidence structure. Third: Link with the fire protection organisation.

When selecting a provider, check the completeness of the DGUV content, the learning objective control, GDPR compliance and insurer recognition. The selection is documented in a short note and stored in the workspace.

The evidence structure consists of a training matrix, individual training certificates for each employee, the fire protection regulations parts A to C and the fire protection risk assessment. The matrix shows due dates and gaps immediately.

The link with the fire protection organisation means: certificate of appointment of the fire protection officer, reporting line to the management, reminders before the end of the three-year period. CIVAC delivers these building blocks as an integrated set.

Licence the workspace for your internal representatives or have our representatives order it. CIVAC is a compliance platform and officer-as-a-service with EU data residency, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 ISMS and 490 audit templates, including several for fire protection.

Turn reading into a mandate. Write to info@civac.de or book a short conversation using the contact form on civac.de. CIVAC SLA: two working days instead of the industry standard two to six weeks.