Do Malaysian Companies Need Fire Safety Training? OKK & Legal Requirements Explained
Quick answer: yes, for any designated premises with a Fire Safety Organisation (OKK) under Section 27A of the Fire Services Act 1988 — and it's a separate legal requirement from running a fire drill. The OKK is required to arrange fire safety and emergency-related training or courses for occupants at least once a year, on top of the at-least-once-a-year fire drill. Treating the two as the same obligation is one of the more common gaps we see.
Training and Drills Are Two Different Requirements
It's an easy mix-up: a fire drill rehearses evacuation — getting people out, to the right assembly point, in a reasonable time. Fire safety training teaches people what to do before that point — how to recognise a fire risk, how and when to use an extinguisher, what their role is if they're part of the OKK. A premises that only ever runs drills and never runs training has satisfied half the requirement. For the drill side itself, see our complete guide to conducting fire drills at your workplace.
Who This Applies To
This requirement sits with any designated premises required to have an OKK — a Fire Safety Manager (FSM) plus at least three Fire Safety Officers (FSOs) — under Section 27A. Not every small business falls under this; it depends on the premises category under the Designated Premises Order. See our guide to Malaysian fire safety law and regulations for how that threshold is set, and our explainer on what an OKK is and what it requires for the full structure.
What's Actually Required, Beyond the Drill
Under the OKK framework, the Fire Safety Manager and Fire Safety Officers are required to arrange fire safety and emergency-related courses or training for occupants at least once a year, and the FSM and FSOs themselves must attend courses as directed by the Director General. In practice, that means two separate annual obligations to keep documented: the drill, and the training session.
Why the Paper Trail Matters as Much as the Session Itself
Bomba doesn't just want to see that training happened — it wants to see it documented: attendance records, dates, and what was covered. A premises that runs a genuine training session but keeps no record of it is in roughly the same position, on paper, as one that never ran it at all. This is exactly the kind of gap that stalls a Fire Certificate renewal — missing records are one of the most common reasons a renewal gets held up.
What Fire Safety Training Actually Looks Like
Our own Fire Safety Training & Exhibitions service runs on-site at your premises, delivered by HRDC-certified trainers, and typically includes hands-on extinguisher demonstrations alongside the talk — not just a slideshow. It's built for companies of any size, including those running a dedicated safety day or week.
The Bigger Picture
Training and drills are both pieces of the same OKK obligation. For the full compliance picture a designated premises sits under, see our guide to Malaysian fire safety law and regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fire safety training legally required for Malaysian businesses?
Yes, for designated premises with an OKK under Section 27A of the Fire Services Act 1988 — the OKK must arrange fire safety training for occupants at least once a year, separate from the annual fire drill requirement.
Is a fire drill the same thing as fire safety training?
No. A drill rehearses evacuation; training teaches staff how to recognise risks and respond — including extinguisher use. Both are required annually under the OKK framework, and satisfying one doesn't satisfy the other.
Does every business need an OKK and this training requirement?
No — only premises designated under the Fire Services Act's Designated Premises Order. The threshold depends on the premises' category, size, and use.
What happens if training was done but not documented?
In practice, it's treated similarly to not having done it at all when Bomba reviews records — missing documentation is one of the most common reasons a Fire Certificate renewal stalls.
Fire Fighter Industry Sdn Bhd is Malaysia's No. 1 Fire Safety Company, established in 1974. Explore our Fire Safety Training & Exhibitions service.
