Fire safety helper calculator
Under ASR A2.2 section 7.3, an office generally needs 5% of the employees present as fire safety helpers, rounded up and at least one person. Office and administrative areas normally count as a normal fire hazard; for an increased fire hazard a higher share must be set. Example: 45 people present on three floors gives 2.25, so three fire safety helpers, in practice one per floor. The calculator works out the figure from headcount and absence rate.
Guideline under ASR A2.2: at least 5% of the employees present as fire safety helpers (normal fire hazard), and at least one person. Since not everyone is on site at once, we calculate with those present. For an increased fire hazard a higher share must be set. Guidance, not legal advice.
How the calculation works
The basis is ASR A2.2. The employer must appoint and train a sufficient number of fire safety helpers. As a guide the rule gives 5 percent of employees at normal fire risk. Office and administrative areas normally fall under normal fire risk.
If you would rather hand over the organisation: what an external occupational safety specialist takes on in an office, including the fire risk classification.
fire safety helpers = 5% of those present at the same time, rounded up
but at least 1 person
| Present at the same time | Fire safety helpers | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 20 | 1 | 5 percent, at least 1 person |
| 21 to 40 | 2 | 5 percent, rounded up |
| 41 to 60 | 3 | 5 percent, rounded up |
| 61 to 80 | 4 | 5 percent, rounded up |
| increased fire risk | at least 5 percent | higher share according to the risk assessment |
What counts is the people present, not the payroll list. Holidays, part-time work, field work and remote work reduce the number actually available, and that number has to be sufficient on every working day.
Two examples
- Office with 15 people present: 5 percent is 0.75, rounded up to 1 person. The minimum applies.
- Administration with 45 present across three floors: 5 percent is 2.25, rounded up to 3 people. In practice at least one trained person per floor is advisable, which here is also 3.
What the figure does not cover
- Increased fire risk. A higher share may then be required. The classification is made in the risk assessment.
- The training. Under DGUV Information 205-023 it comprises theory and practical extinguishing exercises, usually half a day. A refresher every few years is recommended.
- Making them known. Employees must know who the fire safety helpers are, otherwise nobody knows whom to call in an emergency.
The wider picture with extinguishers and escape routes is in Fire safety in the office. All thresholds for fire wardens and first aiders are in the article on the number of fire wardens and first aiders.
First aiders are calculated by the first-aider calculator using the same logic: people present at the same time, 1 first aider up to 20 and 5 percent above that.
What the training covers
Under DGUV Information 205-023 the training has two parts, usually over half a day: a theory block on the principles of fire protection, the fire safety organisation of the business and behaviour in a fire, and a practical part with extinguishing exercises on a real fire.
The practical part is the decisive one. Anyone who has never discharged an extinguisher hesitates in an emergency at exactly the movements that matter: pull the pin, keep your distance, extinguish in bursts, aim at the seat of the fire and not at the flame.
Legal basis
- ASR A2.2 "Measures against fires": technical rule for workplaces with the guideline of 5 percent fire safety helpers at normal fire risk.
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) section 10: obliges the employer to appoint employees for firefighting and evacuation.
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG) section 5: the risk assessment in which the fire risk is classified.
- DGUV Information 205-023 "Fire safety helpers": training and qualification, theory plus extinguishing practice.
Frequently asked questions
Is 5 percent a fixed requirement?
No, it is a guideline in ASR A2.2 for normal fire risk. Where fire risk is increased, a higher share may be required. The classification follows from the risk assessment.
How often must the training be refreshed?
A refresher every few years is recommended, as is one after changes in the business, for example following a relocation or when new extinguisher types have been purchased. Attendance records belong in the occupational safety documentation.
Why calculate with those present?
Because in a fire only the people on site can help. If two of three helpers are away on a Friday in summer, the calculation no longer holds. A buffer above the arithmetic minimum is therefore normal.
Who can become a fire safety helper?
In principle any suitable employee after appropriate training. It makes sense to choose people who are regularly present and spread across floors and areas, rather than all from one team.
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