Every company must designate first responders and fire safety officers. While this may sound like additional red tape at first, it can actually be handled relatively easily in practice—if you know the right order of steps.
For first responders , the professional associations and accident insurance funds generally cover the course fees for the required training. It is important to first clarify the procedure for cost coverage with the responsible accident insurance provider and only then select a suitable training provider and date.
The training of fire safety assistants doesn’t have to be unnecessarily complicated to organize. Especially in typical office and administrative settings, the required theoretical instruction can be combined with a practical fire extinguisher drill. It also makes sense to incorporate the company’s evacuation plan into the training right away.
This article shows you how to organize first aid responders, fire safety officers, and workplace evacuations in a practical and compliant manner.
01 – How many first aid responders does a company need?
The required number depends on how many employees or insured individuals are actually present at the workplace and what type of workplace it is.
When 2 to 20 insured persons present , at least one first responder must be available. If there are more than 20 insured persons present, the following guidelines generally apply:
- Administrative and commercial enterprises: at least 5 percent,
- Other businesses: At least 10 percent of the insured employees present.
However, the calculation alone is not enough. Vacation, sick leave, working from home, field work, shift work, or multiple work locations must be taken into account. For this reason, it often makes sense to have more people trained than the minimum number calculated.
02 – Training First Responders: The Workers' Compensation Association Covers the Course Fees
What many companies don't know: The course fees for the required training and continuing education of workplace first aiders are generally covered by the responsible workers’ compensation insurance provider.
The practical process should therefore not begin by simply signing up for any first-aid course. First, the company should check with its occupational accident insurance association or accident insurance fund to clarify which procedure applies for cost coverage and for how many first-aid responders the course fees will be covered.
Especially when a company intentionally wants to train more first aid responders than the minimum number required based on calculations, it is advisable to coordinate this in advance. The additional need may be due, for example, to multiple floors or locations, frequent absences, or the company’s organizational structure.
Only then is a authorized training provider is selected and a suitable date is scheduled. These may include, for example, aid organizations or other training centers authorized by the statutory accident insurance.
If there are enough participants, the training can often be held take place directly at the company’s premises . A good service provider handles a large part of the organizational logistics. This is often much easier for larger companies, in particular, than sending employees individually to external training courses.
In short: First, clarify who will cover the costs and the procedures—then organize the participants and schedule—and finally, conduct and document the training.
03 – Fire Safety Assistants: Organize Training Tailored to the Workplace
Fire safety assistants must also receive expert training for their duties. This training should be tailored to the actual fire hazards at the company.
For businesses with a normal fire risk—such as typical office spaces—the DGUV requires, as a minimum, at least two 45-minute sessions covering the technical content, as well as a practical exercise in the use of fire extinguishing equipment .
For facilities with an increased fire risk, special production processes, hazardous materials, or other complex conditions, more extensive training may be required.
For a typical office or administrative setting, however, this also means: Fire safety officer training doesn’t have to be an unnecessarily complicated training project. The key is to ensure that the necessary content is covered and that every fire safety assistant practices using a fire extinguisher.
04 – Joint Fire Safety and Evacuation Drills
In a practical business setting, it makes sense to coordinate the training of fire safety assistants with the the company’s evacuation plan .
Employees with relevant responsibilities should know how to respond in the event of a fire, how to sound the alarm, which escape routes and assembly points are designated, and how to assist in an orderly evacuation. Special circumstances at the workplace and individuals who require assistance during an evacuation must also be taken into account.
Hillebrand Occupational Safety conducts such training sessions—particularly for office and administrative operations—directly on-site. Theory, workplace conditions, practical fire-extinguishing drills, and the organization of an evacuation can be effectively integrated into these sessions.
This turns a formal requirement into a practical exercise: Employees not only know that there is a fire extinguisher, an emergency exit, and an assembly point—they also know what to do in an emergency.
05 – Simplifying Training and Organization
Do you need to train first aid responders or fire safety officers for your company?
Organization doesn't have to be complicated. When it comes to first aid training, qualified training providers can handle a large part of the logistics. For fire safety officers and evacuation drills, I can provide on-site support, particularly in office and administrative settings.
A Quick Practical Tip for First Aid Training
Organize On-Site First Aid Training
For workplace first-aid training, I work with an experienced training provider that also offers, upon request, organize in-house training sessions directly at the company and handles a large part of the organizational logistics.
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