Fire safety officer in Germany: when it is mandatory, duties and training
Retail premises, industrial building or increased fire risk: when a fire safety officer is required in Germany, what they do, how they differ from fire wardens and which training DGUV Information 205-003 requires.
Last updated on 7 min readAMS Go editorial team
Key points at a glance
- German occupational safety law contains no general duty to appoint a fire safety officer (Brandschutzbeauftragter); under the workplace rule ASR A2.2, appointing one can be advisable where the fire risk is increased.
- The duty mainly arises from the building law of the federal states: the model ordinance on retail premises requires one above 2,000 m² of sales and mall area, the model guideline on industrial buildings above 5,000 m² of floor area – plus conditions in building permits and contracts.
- Under DGUV Information 205-003, training covers at least 64 teaching units of 45 minutes with a written and an oral exam; at least 16 teaching units of further training are required within three years.
- The fire safety officer is appointed in writing, is free from instructions when applying their expertise and should report directly to the employer – responsibility for fire safety remains with the employer.
What is a fire safety officer?
A fire safety officer (Brandschutzbeauftragter) is a specially trained person who advises and supports the employer on all questions of preventive, organisational and operational fire safety. For example, they keep the fire safety rules up to date, carry out fire safety inspections, report defects and organise evacuation drills. Not every company needs one – they are required mainly in large special buildings or where a building permit demands one.
Duties, qualification, training and appointment are described in DGUV Information 205-003 (December 2020 edition) of the German Social Accident Insurance. Its text is identical to vfdb guideline 12-09/01 and VdS guideline 3111. The previous 2014 edition could only be used until the end of 2023.
When is a fire safety officer mandatory?
Neither the Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) nor the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV) generally requires a fire safety officer. A duty can arise from several sources:
Model ordinance on retail premises (MVKVO, Section 26)
What appliesRetail premises whose sales rooms and shopping malls together exceed 2,000 m² need a fire safety officer; above 15,000 m² of sales room area, self-help fire safety staff are also required.
Model guideline on industrial buildings (MIndBauRL, no. 5.14.3)
What appliesIndustrial buildings with a total floor area of all fire compartments or firefighting sections above 5,000 m²: the operator appoints a suitable fire safety officer.
Model ordinance on places of assembly (MVStättVO, Section 42)
What appliesThe fire safety rules, agreed with the fire prevention authority, determine whether a fire safety officer is needed and what their duties are.
Building permit and fire safety concept
What appliesConditions in individual cases, for example for high-rise buildings or other special buildings.
Contracts
What appliesRequirements of fire insurers, customers or suppliers.
Risk assessment (ASR A2.2)
What appliesWhere the fire risk is increased, appointing one can be advisable; DGUV Information 205-003 then recommends it.
Duties of the fire safety officer
The employer and the fire safety officer agree the specific duties in the letter of appointment – based on the risk assessment. DGUV Information 205-003 lists, among others:
- drawing up and updating the fire safety rules (Brandschutzordnung)
- contributing to the assessment of fire risks and to operating instructions on fire safety
- checking fire safety requirements for new buildings, conversions, changes of use, leases and purchases
- carrying out internal fire safety inspections and taking part in official fire inspections
- reporting defects, proposing measures and monitoring their correction
- planning, organising and carrying out evacuation drills
- supporting managers with fire safety instruction and training fire wardens
- organising the inspection and maintenance of fire safety equipment and keeping escape and rescue plans up to date
- documenting their work, for example in inspection records, defect reports and an annual report
The employer must request this documentation at least once a year; the annual report should at least show the status of the assigned tasks. In industrial buildings, the fire safety officer also monitors compliance with the approved fire safety concept.
Fire safety in AMS GoPlan and carry out fire safety inspections, record defects on site with photos, track them as actions with deadlines and organise fire safety briefings – with the fire safety module.Fire safety officer or fire warden?
The two roles are often confused. Every company needs fire wardens (Brandschutzhelfer), but only certain companies need a fire safety officer:
Role
Fire safety officeradvises and supports the employer on all aspects of company fire safety
Fire wardenfights incipient fires and supports evacuation
Duty
Fire safety officerbased on special building rules, conditions or contracts, otherwise according to the risk assessment
Fire wardenin every company (Section 10 ArbSchG, ASR A2.2)
Number
Fire safety officeraccording to regulation, condition or need
Fire wardenusually 5% of employees
Training
Fire safety officerat least 64 teaching units with exam
Fire wardeninstruction with a practical firefighting exercise
Refresher
Fire safety officerat least 16 teaching units within three years
Fire wardenin practice every 2 to 5 years
There is also a difference from the occupational safety specialist (Fachkraft für Arbeitssicherheit): they advise on occupational safety as a whole, the fire safety officer specifically on fire safety. The two work together, and the fire safety officer is involved in the work of the safety committee. An occupational safety specialist can take on the role if they hold the qualification under DGUV Information 205-003 and have enough time for both.
Training and further training under DGUV Information 205-003
- 1
Prerequisites
Participants should have at least completed vocational training and know the company's processes and hazards, plus technical understanding, strong communication skills and reliability.
- 2
At least 64 teaching units
One classroom teaching unit lasts 45 minutes; practical phases, self-study and online seminars count according to fixed rules. A firefighting exercise on a realistic fire is mandatory – virtual fire simulators are not sufficient.
- 3
Exam and certificate
Training ends with a written exam of at least 90 minutes and an oral exam of at least 15 minutes per person; both are included in the 64 teaching units. Those who pass both parts receive a certificate of competence.
- 4
Further training within three years
At least 16 teaching units of further training within three years, such as seminars or conferences on fire safety. If this is missed, the full training has to be repeated.
Training providers include institutions of the accident insurance institutions, CFPA-recognised training centres, institutions of property insurers, the state fire service academies and state or state-recognised universities.
Appointment and position in the company
The employer appoints the fire safety officer in writing, taking into account the rights of the works council or staff council. The letter of appointment sets out the area of responsibility, duties and framework conditions – such as access to all fire safety documents and rooms. The appointment only takes effect after an introduction to the company's specific conditions.
- Reporting line: like the occupational safety specialist, directly to the employer
- Freedom from instructions when applying their fire safety expertise
- Protection against disadvantage for carrying out the assigned tasks
- Resources: the necessary working time, information, equipment and further training
- Notification: where a fire safety officer is mandatory, their name and any change must be reported to the fire prevention authority on request
Internal or external fire safety officer?
If no suitable in-house person is available, an external fire safety officer can be engaged by contract. They must prove the same qualification and be integrated into the company's fire safety organisation. The contract should cover:
- responsibilities and interfaces with managers, the occupational safety specialist and fire wardens
- timely involvement in investments, conversions and process changes
- a commitment to advise and support the company at short notice
- the scope of inspections and the form of reports
Checklist: fire safety officer
- Duty checked: state special building rules, building permit, fire safety concept, insurance contract
- Fire risk evaluated in the risk assessment
- Suitable person selected or external fire safety officer engaged
- Training under DGUV Information 205-003 documented
- Written appointment with duties, area of responsibility and framework conditions
- Introduction to the company's specific conditions completed
- Name reported to the fire prevention authority, if requested
- Further training of 16 teaching units within three years scheduled
- Annual report requested at least once a year
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Frequently asked questions
When is a fire safety officer mandatory in Germany?
There is no general threshold. Under the model regulations of the federal states, one is required for example in retail premises with more than 2,000 m² of sales and mall area and in industrial buildings with more than 5,000 m² of floor area. A building permit, fire safety concept or insurer can also require one. The law of the relevant federal state is decisive.
How long does fire safety officer training take?
Under DGUV Information 205-003, at least 64 teaching units of 45 minutes, including the written and oral exam. At eight teaching units a day, that is about eight training days.
How often does a fire safety officer need further training?
At least 16 teaching units of further training are required within three years, and no more than three years should pass between two training events. If further training is missed, the full training has to be repeated.
Can the fire safety officer be external?
Yes. An external fire safety officer is engaged by contract and must prove the same qualification. The contract should set out how they are integrated into the fire safety organisation and that they can advise at short notice.
Terms from the glossary
This guide gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.
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