Fire is one of the most serious hazards in any workplace. From a small office to a large manufacturing plant, the risk is real — and the consequences of being unprepared are devastating. Yet fire safety training remains one of the most commonly neglected areas of OHS compliance for South African businesses.
What the Law Requires
The OHS Act, together with the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, and the local municipality fire by-laws, places clear obligations on employers regarding fire safety. These include:
• Ensuring all employees are aware of fire risks and emergency evacuation procedures
• Appointing trained fire wardens or fire fighters for the workplace
• Conducting regular fire drills
• Maintaining fire equipment (extinguishers, hose reels, detectors, alarms) in working order
• Developing and communicating an emergency evacuation plan
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Important: The appointment of fire wardens and the regular testing of fire equipment are inspected during DoL visits. Untrained fire wardens and expired fire extinguisher service records are among the most common violations cited. |
Understanding Fire Fighting Courses
Fire Awareness Training
Duration: Half day | Target: All employees
Every employee in your business should complete fire awareness training. This course covers how fires start and spread, how to use a fire extinguisher correctly, evacuation procedures, and how to raise the alarm. This is the minimum standard for all staff.
Basic Fire Fighting
Duration: 1 day | Target: Fire wardens, designated fire fighters
Basic fire fighting goes further — covering fire classification (Class A, B, C, D, and F fires), selecting the right extinguisher for each fire type, containing small fires without endangering the responder, and coordinating building evacuation.
Advanced Fire Fighting
Duration: 2–3 days | Target: Fire team leaders, EHS officers, high-risk environments
Advanced training is essential for industrial, petrochemical, and high-risk environments. It covers breathing apparatus use, foam and dry chemical systems, incident command basics, and working with fire service responders.
How Many Fire Wardens Do You Need?
As a general guideline, the South African Fire Services recommend one trained fire warden per 50 employees, and at least one per floor or defined area. In high-risk environments, this ratio should be lower. The key requirement is that a trained fire warden must be present whenever employees are on-site — which means shift-based businesses need trained wardens on every shift.
Common Fire Safety Gaps We See in South African Workplaces
• Fire extinguishers present but employees don't know how to use them
• Evacuation plans posted on walls but never practised through drills
• Fire warden certificates expired — often from a single training three or four years ago
• No designated assembly point communicated to staff
• High-risk areas (kitchens, server rooms, chemical stores) with no specific fire risk assessment
Training Saves Lives — and Businesses
A workplace fire that results in injury or death — particularly where investigation shows employees were not trained or evacuation procedures were not in place — can result in criminal charges against the employer, civil liability, and the permanent loss of the business's operating licence.
Conversely, businesses where fire training is current and fire drills are conducted regularly respond faster and more effectively in emergencies. The difference between a contained incident and a catastrophic loss is almost always the training and preparedness of the people in the building.
FTS Safety Group Fire Safety Training
FTS Safety Group offers accredited fire awareness and fire fighting courses at our training centres in Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pietermaritzburg. We also conduct on-site practical fire fighting training using live fire scenarios where facilities allow — giving your team real-world experience in a controlled environment.
Our fire safety facilitators are experienced, industry-qualified, and up to date with the latest South African fire safety regulations and best practices.
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Ready to get your team compliant? When did your team last complete fire safety training? If it's been more than a year — or you've never trained your team — now is the time. Contact FTS Safety Group to arrange a course. 📞 Contact FTS Safety Group | Durban | Cape Town | Johannesburg | Pietermaritzburg www.ftssafetygroup.co.za |