Fire protection for companies: technician, documentation and inspections

Yes. Every legal entity and self-employed person has obligations under Act No. 314/2001 Coll. on fire protection, and the statutory body is responsible for them. The exception is the smallest businesses with no more than 5 employees on the premises that operate only in a flat, a kiosk or a space of up to 100 m² and have no activities with an increased fire risk. These only need to provide employee training (Section 7 of the Act).

Only if they hold a valid fire protection technician certificate. A company must fulfil its fire protection tasks through a technician with a certificate of professional competence (Section 9 of Act No. 314/2001 Coll.). The certificate requires complete secondary education and an exam at the regional directorate of the Fire and Rescue Service, and is valid for 5 years; after it has been obtained for the third time and after at least ten consecutive years of practice, it is valid without a time limit (Section 11 of Act No. 314/2001 Coll.). Otherwise the company contracts a technician, for example from us.

The basics are a fire identification card, fire alarm guidelines, a fire log book and records of employee training. Depending on the nature of the operation, you may also need workplace fire regulations, a fire evacuation plan and records of fire patrol training (Section 24 of Decree No. 121/2002 Coll.). The documentation must be reviewed after every change, and at least once every 12 months.

New employees must be trained before they start work, and the training is then repeated every 24 months. People who provide fire protection outside working hours are trained every 12 months with a written test, and fire patrols complete professional training every 12 months (Sections 20 to 23 of Decree No. 121/2002 Coll.).

Every 3 months in ordinary premises, every 6 months in buildings used only for administrative work and every 12 months in residential buildings and buildings with occasionally used workplaces (Section 14 of Decree No. 121/2002 Coll.). The result is recorded in the fire log book.

Portable fire extinguishers are inspected by an authorised person under Decree No. 347/2022 Coll. at least once every 24 months unless the manufacturer specifies a shorter interval. However, almost all reputable manufacturers specify an inspection every 12 months, so in practice most extinguishers are inspected every year. Hydrants and other fire-fighting water supply equipment are inspected at least once every 12 months (Section 15 of Decree No. 699/2004 Coll.).

The state fire inspectorate can impose a fine of up to €8,298, and up to €16,596 for more serious breaches such as blocked escape routes or uninspected fire equipment. For a repeat breach within three years, the fine can be up to double (Section 59 of Act No. 314/2001 Coll.).

We provide fire protection in a flat fee together with OSH and the occupational health service, e.g. €79 per month excl. VAT for an office with up to 5 employees. The final price depends on the number of employees, the type of operation and the scope of services. You get a 10% discount for each additional service you order and a free, no-obligation quote within 24 hours.