The long awaited competency criteria for fire risk assessors have been published as a draft document for public comment.

The foreword to the document states:

“In the light of experience, including the emergence of inadequate fire risk assessments for premises that suffered multiple fatality fires, there has been growing concern regarding the competence of those who provide fire risk assessment services to duty holders on a commercial basis.

“As a result of these concerns, the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council emerged from the fire sector with the encouragement of Government. The raison d’être of the council, which comprises a broad group of relevant stakeholders, is to establish criteria against which the competence of a fire risk assessor can be judged.”

“The Competency Council for Fire Risk Assessors is an open group that has emerged from the fire sector to address the issue of competency criteria for fire risk assessors,” said Iain Cox, chief fire officer of Berkshire and the council’s chairman. “It was widely felt that the requirement to use competent persons for fire safety works should extend to those who make the risk assessments upon which such works are based.”

The document sets out broad criteria for fire risk assessors of both “simple buildings” – where the fire risk assessor might, for example, be an employee of the occupier – and “complex buildings”, which will require higher levels of knowledge understanding and preferably experience on the part of the fire risk assessor.

For complex buildings, fire risk assessors will need to have the “specific applied knowledge and skills of an appropriately qualified specialist”. Knowledge can be obtained by academic study, training, working alongside others, short courses, continuing professional development or any combination of two or more of these.

The deadline for comments on the draft document is 7 September 2011 and the document can be downloaded here. http://www.info4fire.com/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=ca909f67-964e-4699-9266-d8673a6a5c6b&groupId=10606

Wilkinson Construction Consultants welcome the move, but hope that a single national licensing scheme along the lines of that used for Approved Inspectors can be developed. Such a scheme could comprise four stages to become an Approved Fire Risk Assessor eg

1. Application

Applicant completes an application form including a detailed knowledge base. The knowledge base is the heart of the assessment and requires demonstration of how the applicant’s knowledge and experience equips them for the duties and responsibilities of a Fire Risk Assessor. The consultation document sets these out as follows:

• the assessment of risk from fire

• applicable legislation

• appropriate guidance

• behaviour of fire in buildings

• behaviour of people in fire situations

• means of escape

• fire prevention

• fire protection

• management of fire safety

• Building Regulations & Statutory Control

• Law

• Construction Technology & Materials

• Fire Studies

• Foundation & Structural Engineering

• Building Service & Environmental Engineering

2. Pre-qualification verification

On receipt of an application, the FRA Registrar would check that all the information requested on the form has been provided, along with some example FRA's.

3. Admissions Panel

On successful completion of stage 2 , the application would then be considered by professional Assessors who decide whether the applicant has demonstrated the necessary experience and knowledge to merit a professional interview. Assessors could be drawn from across the membership of the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council eg

Association of Building Engineers (ABE)

Association of Fire Consultants (AFC)

Association for Specialist Fire Protection (AFSP)

Awarding Body of the Built Environment (ABBE)

British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE)

British Fire Consortium (BFC)

BRE Global Ltd (BRE)

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)

Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA)

Chief Fire & Rescue Advisors Unit (CFRAU)

Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Construction Products Association (CPA)

Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)

Fire Industry Association (FIA)

Fire Brigades Union (FBU)

Fire Protection Association (FPA)

Federation of British Fire Organisations (FOBFO)

Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE)

Institute of Fire Prevention Officers (IFPO)

Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM)

International Fire Consultants Certification Ltd (IFCC)

Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH)

National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH)

Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF)

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Skills for Justice

Warrington Certification Ltd (WCL)

United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)

 4. Professional Interview

Applicants called for a interview would be seen by an Interview Panel consisting of three assessors, assisted by the Registrar. The interview is the final stage of assessment. It is an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their competence, and expand upon the information provided in their application.

Successful completion of the above assessment stages would result in the Applicant being invited to register subject to their adoption of a Code of Conduct including disciplinary procedures, and providing satisfactory insurance is in place. Registration would be for a period of five years, after which a reapplication is required to demonstrate that the FRA has kept upto date CPD and Training records and that there have been no complaints about their work.

WIlkinson Construction Consultants will be formally responding to the consultation on that basis and encourage others to do so as well via this link http://www.info4fire.com/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=9a648cfa-d3a9-4faa-b5c5-5a17c649ba92&groupId=10606