Fire protection assistant training: duties, quotas and proof in the company

§ 10 Para. 2 ArbSchG obliges every employer to appoint a sufficient number of employees to take on firefighting and evacuation tasks. ASR A2.2 (measures against fires) specifies this obligation and, as a rule of thumb, specifies at least 5 percent of the workforce as trained fire protection assistants, and more in areas with an increased risk of fire. DGUV Information 205-023 describes the training content and recommends theoretical and practical training with annual repetition of the practical exercise and refreshment of the entire training every three to five years. Anyone who does not comply with the quota or does not provide evidence of training runs the risk of fines of up to 30,000 euros according to Section 25 ArbSchG and, in the event of damage, personal liability of the management according to Section 130 OWiG.

This article explains how the training is organised, who is allowed to carry it out, what content is mandatory, how the quota is calculated and how the fire protection officer (BSB) keeps the evidence complete. CIVAC is a compliance platform and officer-as-a-service. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. The article is aimed at human resources management, HSE managers, fire protection officers and management in manufacturing, logistics, trade, health and administration. You will learn how quota, training, fire protection regulations and annual reports can be combined to form an audit-proof fire protection organisation.

The obligation to appoint and train fire protection assistants arises from several interrelated sources. Firstly, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG), which in Section 10 prescribes the appointment of people for first aid, firefighting and evacuation. Secondly, the workplace regulations (ArbStättV) and the technical rules for workplaces ASR A2.2 (measures against fires) and ASR A2.3 (escape routes and emergency exits). Thirdly, DGUV Regulation 1 and DGUV Information 205-023 on the training of fire protection assistants. Fourthly, the building law of the federal states with the state building regulations and special building regulations, such as the Assembly Places Ordinance or the Industrial Construction Directive, which require an increased quota in certain buildings.

In addition, there is DGUV Regulation 2, which, in conjunction with the Occupational Safety Act (ASiG), regulates the appointment of occupational safety specialists (SiFa). The fire protection officer himself is required by ASR A2.2, by operational obligations and in many cases by insurance requirements. Anyone who orders a fire protection officer via a platform will receive the cross-references between ArbSchG, ASR A2.2, DGUV 205-023 and insurance requirements consolidated. Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. The platform maintains updates, such as new ASR versions, and notifies the representative as soon as a training or quota proof is affected. This means the organisation remains auditable without the HSE department having to do manual follow-up. Audit-proof, documented, § 10 ArbSchG-proof. Anyone who consolidates the sources also gains a reliable basis for argumentation in insurance negotiations, in audits and in the annual reporting to management. The platform turns a duty into a controllable system. This means that fire protection is not an isolated HSE task, but is integrated into HR, plant management and management. Once you establish the reporting structures, you gain a reusable framework for every other company representative.

ASR A2.2 specifies a minimum quota of 5 percent of the employees present as trained fire protection assistants. The value is the minimum dimension, not the maximum specification. In areas with an increased risk of fire, significantly higher proportions are required, often 10 to 20 percent or more. There is an increased risk of fire when processing flammable liquids, flammable gases, flammable dusts, in welding and grinding areas, when storing lithium batteries and in areas with a high fire load such as storage for plastics or paper. The assessment is carried out as part of the risk assessment in accordance with Section 5 ArbSchG, documented in the fire protection concept or in the fire protection risk assessment.

In practice, the quota is not calculated based on the total number of employees, but rather based on the workforce present per shift, location and area. A factory with 500 employees in three shifts has around 170 people present at any given time; at least 9 fire protection assistants must be appointed per shift. In addition, there are vacation and sickness reserves, so that realistically 14 to 18 trained people are required per shift. Meeting places, hospitals, daycare centres and high-bay warehouses require special quotas. Anyone who orders the fire protection officer via a platform receives a quota module that calculates target values ​​from the risk assessment, shift model and special building regulations and compares them with the current level of training. This creates a real-time view of quota gaps that HR and plant management can close together. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable. In special buildings, the respective state regulations also apply, such as the Assembly Places Ordinance and the Industrial Construction Directive, which can override the minimum dimensions. The workspace maps these special specifications as additional quota rules. Audit-proof, documented, ASR A2.2-proof. Anyone who works in sectors such as hospitals, nursing care, meeting places or industrial warehouses should set the quota higher from the start, because otherwise personnel changes and shift models regularly push the actual values ​​below the minimum.

DGUV Information 205-023 describes the minimum content of fire protection assistant training. The theoretical part usually lasts 90 to 180 minutes and includes fire theory with fire classes A, B, C, D and F, combustion triangle, fire and explosion protection in operation, operational fire protection regulations according to DIN 14096 (parts A, B and C), behaviour in the event of a fire, alarm, evacuation and first aid in the event of burn injuries. The practical part usually lasts 60 to 120 minutes and includes handling fire extinguishers of different types, extinguishing small and emerging fires, operating fire detection and house alarm systems and walking escape and rescue routes.

The practical exercise must take place on real fires, either on an open fire or with certified training simulators with gas flames. Online training can cover the theoretical part, but does not replace the practical extinguishing exercise. The training is carried out by a knowledgeable person, such as a fire protection officer, a fire protection specialist or a plant fire brigade member with appropriate qualifications. Anyone who obtains a fire protection officer through CIVAC can have the officer carry out the training in-house or hire external trainers. The training content and participant lists are documented in the workspace, each participation with date, content, duration and speaker. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready. This creates a consistent training register that allows quotas and timeliness to be evaluated at any time and can be presented in BG inspections without follow-up. The connection between training content, quota module and personnel file ensures that personnel changes, transfers and location changes do not silently undermine the quota. Audit-proof, documented, DGUV 205-023-proof. Anyone who covers the practical parts with certified training simulators and, if necessary, real fire extinguishers will receive training results that are undisputed in BG inspections. An exercise on the factory premises with real fire protection regulations also produces the highest learning success because paths, locations of fire extinguishers and assembly points are directly anchored.

The training to become a fire protection assistant is not time-limited, but DGUV Information 205-023 requires regular refreshers. What is proven and officially accepted is complete refresher training every three to five years, supplemented by an annual practical fire extinguishing exercise. Event-related training is required when there are changes to the fire protection regulations, renovations, new materials, new procedures and after incidents. New fire protection assistants go through full initial training before starting their first shift as a designated fire protection assistant. Personnel changes, transfers and location changes often result in additional training requirements, which the quota module must reflect.

Special training is also provided for fire protection assistants in special areas, such as welding permit areas, oxygen lances, lithium battery storage or areas with special gas extinguishing systems. Additional modules for fire class D (metal fires), lithium battery fires and CO2 or inert gas extinguishing systems are required here. A platform with a training register, automatic refresher reminders and event modules ensures that refreshers are scheduled and documented in a timely manner. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. Anyone who commissions an external fire protection officer receives the annual practical exercise as part of the mandate, including the exercise plan, safety briefing and documentation. The training organisation remains the employer's responsibility, the operational implementation is taken over by the external representative. Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. Anyone who schedules the annual practice into a fixed date with calendar integration avoids the most common gap in which exercises are canceled due to scheduling or staffing reasons. The exercise with documentation and lessons learned also provides material for the next update of the fire protection regulations. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready. In areas with particular fire loads such as lithium battery storage, an additional exercise with a focus on early phase detection and escalation to the plant fire department or the responsible fire department is also recommended. These modules are to be shown as event-related training with their own frequency plan in the workspace.

The quota of 5 percent is not a workforce figure, but rather an attendance figure per shift and area. A site with 250 employees in two shifts has around 110 people present at any given time; at least 6 fire protection assistants per shift are required. In addition, there are vacation and sickness reserves of at least 30 percent, so that realistically there are 8 to 9 trained people per shift in the plan. With shift models with night work, weekends and public holidays, the demand shifts further. In high-bay warehouses and areas with an increased risk of fire, the rate can rise to 10 to 20 percent, and even higher in certain special buildings.

A second factor that is often overlooked is mobile and external employees. In many cases, service providers, maintenance technicians and subcontractors who are present for a longer period of time are included; in any case, they must be informed about the fire safety regulations and what to do in the event of a fire. A platform with a quota module calculates the target and actual values ​​for each location, shift and area, compares them with the training register and proactively reports gaps to HR and the fire protection officer. This creates a predictable training organisation that does not rely on Excel lists and reminders from individual people. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. Both models use the same quota module. Audit-proof, documented, ASR A2.2-proof. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready. If you keep the quota consistent across all shifts, you will avoid the most common complaint in BG inspections and insurance audits. An evaluation over several quarters also allows trends to be identified, such as systematic gaps in night shifts or in individual subsidiary locations, which can be closed with targeted training blocks.

The costs of fire protection assistant training vary greatly. External day seminars with providers such as DEKRA, TÜV and professional associations typically cost 95 to 220 euros per person, with complete theoretical and practical training. In-house training by an external trainer costs 750 to 1,800 euros for a group of up to 15 people, plus material and, if necessary, practice space. In-house training by your own fire protection officer is often already included in the mandate and is therefore economically attractive, especially if there is a need for frequent refresher training.

The make-or-buy decision follows three criteria. Firstly, the scaling: for 30 or more fire protection assistants, in-house training with your own or commissioned BSB is worthwhile on a regular basis because travel times and daily rates are eliminated. Secondly, the specifics: Anyone who has special areas with lithium batteries, welding workstations or special fire protection concepts benefits from a trainer who knows the company. Thirdly, the documentation: In-house training via the platform generates certificates of participation, proof of training and quota updates in one system. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. CIVAC offers both models, including the possibility of including the annual practical exercise as part of the mandate. The investment usually pays off in the second year because the training, documentation and audit costs all decrease. Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. Those who work without a platform often pay twice for several items. Another component is insurance discounts. Some property insurers reward a fully documented fire protection assistant organisation with premium discounts of 3 to 8 percent because the risk of damage demonstrably decreases. Anyone who can prove this argument in the insurance conversation will transform the training investment into a direct reduction in running costs.

The fire protection officer is the operational hub for fire protection helper quotas, training, fire protection regulations according to DIN 14096 and emergency organisation. His appointment is made in writing, with an appointment certificate, task description and reporting line to the management. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable. The reporting line is usually direct to plant management or management, with a copy to HSE and staff. At least annually, the BSB submits a written report on the fire protection organisation, including quotas, training levels, audits and identified deficiencies.

Insurers regularly audit the fire protection organisation as part of property insurance and business interruption insurance audits. Gaps often lead to higher premiums, special requirements or, in the event of damage, to reductions in benefits due to gross negligence in accordance with Section 81 VVG. Complete documentation across a platform significantly reduces these risks. Anyone who orders the fire protection officer via a platform receives quota, training and audit modules, annual reporting and support for insurance audits from a single source. This means that the insurance protection remains operationally effective and the management has reliable key figures that can be used for security purposes in the supervisory board or in the quarterly report. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready. Audit-proof, documented, § 10 ArbSchG-proof. Anyone who sees fire protection not only as a duty, but as a control factor for insurance premiums, gains a direct financial advantage. A systematic reporting chain from training to the quota to the fire protection regulations also creates the conditions for productive cooperation between BSB, SiFa, GSB and plant management. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. In this way, the fire protection helper organisation can be integrated into the existing reporting obligations of the respective representatives without having to maintain additional Excel or SharePoint structures in parallel.

BG inspections, insurer safety inspections and occupational health and safety inspections show recurring deficiencies in the area of ​​fire protection assistants. Firstly, unclear or outdated quota, often calculated based on total employees instead of shift attendance. Secondly, missing or outdated training certificates, often for external employees or working students. Thirdly, practical refresher training was not carried out. Fourthly, fire protection regulations according to DIN 14096 have not been updated. Fifthly, unclear reporting line to the fire protection officer. Sixth, undocumented special training for specific areas. Seventh, unclear or not updated alarm and evacuation plans.

Each of these deficiencies must be closed structurally in a workspace. The quota module calculates the correct reference basis, the training register records all groups of people including external and working students, the exercise plan schedules the annual practice, the fire protection regulations are versioned and provided with update dates, the reporting line is documented in the appointment certificate, special training courses are modules with their own frequency plan, alarm and evacuation plans are kept with status and release note. Others run compliance like a filing cabinet. We run it like software. The complaint rate in BG inspections drops measurably, often by 60 to 80 percent compared to Excel and folder structures. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. This reduction is not cosmetic, but economically relevant, because every avoided inspection requirement saves resubmissions, grace periods and correction effort. If this happens again, it also avoids fines and insurance discussions. Anyone who keeps the list of defects with deadlines, responsible persons and status fields can track the progress in the quarter and show it as a controllable key figure in the annual BSB report. The auditor calls, the evidence is ready. The link to the annual inspection by SiFa and the insurance company's regular safety audits, which are documented in the same workspace, offers additional discipline.

CIVAC is a compliance platform and officer-as-a-service with 25 officer roles, 93 ISO/IEC 27001:2022 controls and 490 ready-to-use audit templates, including quota module, training register, fire safety regulations according to DIN 14096, exercise plan and annual BSB report. Licence the workspace for your internal representatives, or have our representatives order it. In the first case, your internal fire protection officer works in a client area with all modules. In the second case, CIVAC appoints an experienced BSB with DGUV recognition who takes over the appointment certificate, annual report, audit support and the annual practical exercise and is present at BG inspections.

The first order is ready for handwriting within 2 working days instead of the classic 2 to 6 week waiting time. The appointment certificate, signed, filed, verifiable. If you need a occupational safety specialist or a hazardous materials officer at the same time, you can combine the roles in the same workspace at a reduced licence price. Bundling is common in manufacturing and logistics companies because SiFa, BSB and GSB are operationally intertwined, for example in welding permits, lithium battery storage and hazardous materials rooms. Turn reading into an assignment. Write to info@civac.de or use the contact form on civac.de. Feedback will be provided within one working day; the data sheet with flat rate, hourly rate and scope of services will be available on the second working day. Experience shows that the transition to the platform is completed within four weeks, including migration of the training register, quota calculation per shift and location and the first annual report. This makes fire protection a plannable, documented and financially controllable organisational task. If you wish, you will receive a free quota analysis in advance in which we compare the calculated target and actual quotas for your locations and shifts in a half-hour session. This initial assessment provides a concrete indication of how many fire protection assistants need to be trained in which areas.