UK Level 2/3 Fire Marshal Course

• People at Risk - anyone who could be affected, including visitors, contractors, and people with mobility/understanding limitations.

• Risk - the likelihood of a fire occurring and the severity of harm if it happens.

• Significant Findings - the important results of the FRA (key hazards, people at risk, and main control measures/action points).

• Control Measures - actions taken to reduce likelihood and/or impact (e.g., fire detection, compartmentation, housekeeping).

• Suitable and Sufficient - the FRA level of detail and scope is appropriate for the premises and competent for decision-making.

• Review / Update - checking the FRA remains valid, especially after changes or incidents.

Active Recall (definitions blank):

• Fire Risk Assessment (FRA): __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• Hazard: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• People at Risk: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• Risk: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• Significant Findings: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• Control Measures: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• Suitable and Sufficient: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

• Review / Update: __________________________________________________

• __________________________________________________

Worked Examples

Worked Example 1 (straightforward recording)

Scenario: Small office. Portable heaters used in winter. No faults reported.

Task: What should the FRA record?

• Identify hazards: portable heaters, charging points, general combustibles (paper storage).

• People at risk: staff, visitors, cleaners.

• Evaluate risk: heater use location, housekeeping levels, supervision/controls.

• Record significant findings:

• Heater use control (e.g., permitted locations, no unattended use)

• Housekeeping expectations (combustibles kept away from heat sources)

• Any actions with priority and target date

• Include review: date completed and when it will be reviewed (e.g., after changes in heating arrangements).

Now you try:

Scenario: Same office, but now there is a contractor storing pallets in a corridor overnight.

• Identify two new hazards: ________________________________

• Identify one new group at risk: __________________________

• State two significant findings you would record:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Worked Example 2 (linking actions to findings)

Scenario: Warehouse with blocked fire exits due to storage.

• Hazard: blocked escape routes.

• People at risk: shift workers, agency staff, late arrivals.

• Risk evaluation: increased likelihood of entrapment and delayed evacuation.

• Control measures (and what to record):

• Clear routes policy (immediate removal of stored items)

• Monitoring responsibility (who checks)

• Timescale and verification method

• Record actions: “Remove obstructions from all escape routes by [date] and implement weekly checks by [role].”

Now you try:

Scenario: Fire doors are propped open with wedges.

• Record the hazard and affected people at risk.

__________________________________________________

• Write one significant finding and one action with a priority.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

• Include what review trigger you would note.

__________________________________________________

Worked Example 3 (more complex review/update trigger)

Scenario: FRA completed 6 months ago. A new mezzanine is added and occupancy increases.

• Suitable and sufficient at time: it covered the old layout.

• Review trigger: structural/occupancy change.

• Update requirement:

• Re-check escape routes, fire separation, detection coverage, and evacuation capacity.

• Recording:

• Date of update, what changed, which findings were revised, and new actions.

Now you try:

List 4 items you would re-check after adding a mezzanine.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Practice Questions

**Answer in exam style: clear headings, linked hazards → findings → actions

(Easy)

• List four parts that must be recorded as “significant findings” in a fire risk assessment.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

(Medium)

• A workshop uses blowlamps during shift. Name two hazards and two people at risk you would include, then state one control you would record as an action.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

(Medium)

• Explain (briefly) the difference between a “hazard” and a “risk” in fire risk assessment recording.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

(Hard)

• A care home has a recent refurbishment. Fire doors are now closer to storage areas and staff report more clutter near the corridors. Describe what you would record as (a) the hazard, (b) the affected people at risk, (c) the action, and (d) the review trigger.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

(Hard)

• For the same scenario, write one short recorded finding that would meet “suitable and sufficient” expectations, and link it to an action with a target date.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Answer Key

• Hazards; people at risk; risk evaluation (why significant); actions/controls required (including priority and target date).

• Hazards: blowlamps/open flame; hot surfaces/ignition sources. People at risk: staff; visitors/contractors. Action example: restrict use to permitted areas, supervision, keep combustibles away, record training/permit procedure.

• Hazard = something with potential to cause harm (e.g., ignition source). Risk = chance of harm and severity (e.g., likelihood of ignition near combustibles and impact on occupants).

• (a) Hazard: corridor clutter near fire doors; blocked/compromised fire door function. (b) People at risk: residents, staff, visitors, late arrivals. (c) Action: remove storage/combustibles immediately; verify fire doors close properly; assign corridor checks. (d) Review trigger: refurbishment/changes to layout and increased occupancy or conditions.

• Example finding: “Fire doors in corridors are at risk of being held open/obstructed by storage near the door sets, increasing chance of fire spread and delayed evacuation.” Action: “By 15/08/2026 remove all items within 0.5m of fire doors and implement daily checks by housekeeping lead; record results in FRA log by 16/08/2026.”

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Writing only “staff are at risk” without stating the specific hazard and why it is significant. Avoid: link hazard → affected people → what could happen →

End of chapter one. 4 more chapters and about 4,998 words in the full book.