If you’re a business owner or manager, keeping your employees safe at work is your responsibility — and that means being ready before something goes wrong. Could you confidently handle a fire, a serious injury or a gas leak right now? If the honest answer is “not sure”, the time to plan is now, not in the moment it happens. Good emergency planning comes down to two things: trained people, and clear procedures everyone knows.
Start with trained first aiders
Keep first aid certificates current
One of the most important steps is making sure your appointed staff hold a valid first aid qualification. A workplace first aid certificate lasts three years — once it expires, that person can no longer act as your first aider, and you may fall short of the provision your risk assessment requires.
The right course depends on your workplace risk level:
Tips for handling a workplace emergency
Know and practise the escape route. Show employees the safest way out in a fire, and rehearse it regularly so it’s second nature under pressure.
Display emergency numbers. Keep the numbers for police, fire, ambulance and poison control visible by the phone.
Give responders complete information. When you call, provide the building address, your name and number, and exactly what’s happened — who’s injured and how. Don’t let them waste time at the wrong building or room.
Meet the responders. Send someone to the main entrance to greet the emergency services and lead them straight to the scene.
Map the safety equipment. Make sure everyone knows where the eye wash stations, fire extinguishers, alarm call points and first aid kits are — and how to use them.
Plan for power loss. A small torch at each workstation helps people find the exit safely in a blackout.
Stay calm and set the tone. Staff take their cues from managers. Keeping a level head helps everyone else do the same.
Stay contactable. Make sure staff can reach you in an emergency, including a mobile number when you’re off site.
Who is responsible for fire safety at work?
It’s the “responsible person” — not necessarily the owner
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the legal duty falls on the “responsible person” for the premises — usually the employer, the occupier, or whoever has control of the workplace. That’s often not the building’s owner: a business renting its premises is typically the responsible person for its own workplace. The responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment, put fire precautions in place, and ensure staff receive appropriate fire safety training and know the evacuation procedures.
Fire safety training to consider
NEBOSH Fire Certificate
For managers and those responsible for fire safety — covers fire risk assessment and preventative and protective measures in most workplaces.
NEBOSH International Fire Certificate
The internationally focused equivalent, for those with fire safety duties at sites outside the UK.
All fire safety courses
Including fire marshal/warden training, fire extinguisher use, fire risk assessment qualifications and more.
What types of emergency can happen at work?
Frequently asked questions
Who is legally responsible for fire safety in the workplace?
The “responsible person” under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — usually the employer, occupier or person in control of the premises, not necessarily the building owner. They must complete a fire risk assessment, put precautions in place and ensure staff are trained and know how to evacuate.
How long does a first aid certificate last?
Three years. Before it expires, a First Aid at Work holder should take the 2-day FAW Refresher to requalify. The HSE also recommends annual refresher training in between to keep skills sharp.
What should an emergency plan cover?
At minimum: escape routes and assembly points, how to raise the alarm and call the emergency services, who the trained first aiders and fire marshals are, the location of safety equipment, and how to account for everyone once evacuated. It should be written down, communicated and practised.
How many first aiders do we need?
There’s no fixed number — it depends on your workforce size, the level of hazard, your premises and shift patterns. A first aid needs assessment determines what’s appropriate for your workplace.