Online Fire Extinguisher Training Course

This opening module sets out the fundamentals of fire safety in the workplace and why every member of staff has a part to play. You'll learn how fires put people, property and business continuity at risk, and how a basic understanding of fire prevention helps keep everyone safe. It provides the foundation for the practical extinguisher skills covered later in the course.

Here you'll explore the fire triangle – the three elements of heat, fuel and oxygen that every fire needs to ignite and keep burning. Understanding how these elements combine helps you recognise fire hazards before they take hold, and explains why removing just one element is enough to put a fire out. This knowledge underpins the safe use of fire extinguishers.

This module explains the different classes of fire, from those involving ordinary combustibles and flammable liquids to electrical equipment and cooking oils. Knowing how fires are classified is essential, because using the wrong type of extinguisher can make a fire worse. You'll learn to identify each class so you can respond appropriately and safely.

You'll be introduced to the main types of fire extinguisher found in UK workplaces, including water, foam, dry powder and CO2 units. The module explains which extinguisher suits which class of fire, helping you make the right choice under pressure. Matching the extinguisher to the fire is one of the most important skills this course teaches.

This module shows you how to read extinguisher labels and pressure gauges so you can quickly confirm a unit is suitable and ready for use. You'll learn what the colour coding and pictograms mean and how to spot when an extinguisher needs servicing. These simple checks help ensure equipment will work when it really matters.

Some fires call for specialist equipment, and this module covers wet chemical extinguishers and other specialist units used for particular risks such as cooking-oil fires. You'll learn where these extinguishers are typically found and why standard types may be unsuitable. Recognising specialist extinguishers helps you respond correctly in higher-risk environments such as kitchens.

Fire blankets are a simple but effective tool for smothering small fires, and this module explains when and how to use one safely. You'll learn the situations where a fire blanket is the best response, such as a small pan fire, and how to deploy it without putting yourself at risk. Knowing your options beyond extinguishers makes you a more capable first responder.

This practical module teaches the widely used PASS method – Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep – for operating a fire extinguisher correctly. You'll learn the right technique, where to stand and how to approach a fire safely. Following a clear, memorable method helps you act quickly and confidently if you ever need to tackle a small fire.

Just as important as knowing how to use an extinguisher is knowing when not to. This module helps you judge when a fire is too large or too dangerous to tackle and when raising the alarm and evacuating is the only safe choice. Understanding your limits protects your own life and helps prevent serious injury.

This module outlines fire safety responsibilities in the workplace, including the duties of employers and staff under UK fire safety legislation. You'll learn how good housekeeping, clear escape routes and reporting hazards all contribute to a safer environment. Understanding these responsibilities helps embed fire safety into everyday working practice.

The course concludes with a multiple-choice final assessment that checks your understanding of the key points covered throughout the modules. Passing confirms you can identify fire risks, choose the right extinguisher and respond safely. On successful completion you can instantly download your CPD certified certificate as evidence of your training.