Pat Allen, the chairman of the Fire and Security Association (FSA), says that the association is putting its weight behind an industry call for a national fire safe register.
At a House of Commons seminar in December , the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) put the creation of a national fire safety register firmly back on the agenda. It followed on from a similar call to action at the Fire Sector Summit in October. With such influential parties leading the charge, shouldn’t the rest of the industry rally the troops? The idea behind a national fire safe register is to promote competence and compliance for installers, maintainers and registered fire risk assessors. Any UKAS-approved third party accreditation scheme would be eligible to be included in the register, which would cover areas such as fire door installation, fire risk assessment and fire detection and alarm systems. As an ‘umbrella’ register, these existing accredited schemes would be gathered and widely promoted under a single brand, with the aim of gaining industry – and client – recognition and buy-in.
The suggestion follows an online survey for certification and testing provider BM TRADA, which showed strong support for one register across all sectors of the construction industry. More than 90 per cent of respondents agreed that there should be a National Fire Safety Register and 95 per cent of those respondents said they would use it. If implemented, a register would provide an essential step in improving standards across the UK. Importantly, it would demonstrate to contractors currently operating outside of such schemes, the value of participating and serve to raise levels of competence and trust across the board.
A single brand would make it easier for designers, specifiers and building owners and occupiers to identify and appoint competent installers, maintainers and fire risk assessors. It would also help address ongoing concerns about the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that gives responsibility to local councils, managing agents and private landlords – many of whom lack the expertise – to assess and manage fire risks in the common areas of residential buildings. Correct installation and maintenance is fundamental to properly functioning equipment and protection against fire. And a common register would reassure these clients that an installation was correctly undertaken by a competent and qualified contractor.
Although there would be no legal requirement to use a National Fire Safe registered professional, an effective marketing campaign would go far to raise awareness of any National Fire Safe ‘mark’, thereby creating demand for accredited professionals among the public and the built environment industry alike. In our opinion, the pros of initiating an umbrella scheme far outweigh the cons; the only problem is who is going to volunteer to run it and how is it going to be financed? Just a few weeks ago, a Fire Door Installer Register was launched and is set to be promoted to building owners in the coming months. Perhaps this could this be the start of something bigger?
