What is ‘competency’ in fire safety?

The term ‘competency’ in terms of fire safety is a constantly evolving one that is often left open to interpretation. It’s a debate that’s been brought to the forefront in recent years because of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the subsequent Hackitt review, which has put pressure on industry bodies, building owners and those responsible for building design and maintenance to ensure there aren’t any major skill or knowledge gaps. Dame Judith Hackitt concluded a “radical rethink of the whole system and how it works” was required.

Here, we look at exactly what constitutes a ‘competent’ person in fire safety, and how the responsible person can be assured they have appointed a fire safety professional with the right skills, knowledge and expertise.

Defining ‘competency’

At the time of writing, there remains no consistent definition of what competency in fire safety means. But this is crucial if we’re to educate the fire safety sector, drastically increase the safety of our buildings and be able to hold certain individuals accountable in the event of a serious fire. Last year, Setting the Bar, the final report from the Joint Industry Board (JIB) was released to help shape policies and improve safety in all stages of building construction. What’s more, the ‘Building Safety Bill’ is now with the House of Commons, while the Fire Safety Act 2021 amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) and will ensure duty holders comply with law when it comes into effect. So of course, there is a lot going on behind the scenes and it’s said a clear definition as to exactly what constitutes competency is in the offing. In the meantime, we can ensure building and business owners (i.e. responsible persons) are aware of what ‘competency’ entails when hiring key professionals to ensure property is without risk of fire, and the right preventative and protective measures are in place.

The responsible person and competency

The RRFSO states that the responsible person must, where necessary, ‘nominate competent persons to implement those measures and ensure the number of persons, their training and their equipment available to them are adequate.’ This might be referring to the appointment of a fire risk assessor, fire engineer or fire extinguisher technician, for example. The Order goes on to explain that ‘a person is regarded as competent where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him properly to implement the measures.’ We outline some key considerations when appointing a fire safety professional. The competent person should be:

Third-party approved

Technicians and fire risk assessors must have third-party certification, which means they must be on a register and be independently verified and regularly audited via a UKAS-accredited scheme. BAFE-registered fire extinguisher technicians are now required to have had training in asbestos awareness and health and safety procedures.

Qualified and/or committed to personal development

Fire safety professionals should possess any relevant qualifications and, for the responsible person’s peace of mind, show real commitment to regularly upskilling via experiential or formal learning. Qualifications and accreditations to look out for include ISO 9001 Quality Assurance certification and FIA accreditations – the Fire Industry Association is the largest fire protection trade association in the UK and provides more than 250 training courses.

Capable of demonstrating experience

Every setting is unique and so possesses risks unique to it. Particularly for fire risk assessors attending high-risk environments, like factories, warehouses or care homes, for example, if they can detail previous experience in the area, it will be more valuable that they have the training and experience behind them.

References

It’s common for the responsible person to often opt to request references from previous clients with similar premises.

Trustworthy

When appointing a fire safety expert, trust is crucial. They must be relied upon to do a thorough job to protect the business, building and the people within it.

It’s crucial that while new legislation across the sector is finalised, and until strict definitions of what constitutes ‘competent’ are refined, the responsible person should take into consideration all the above, as well as what’s stated in the RRFSO and British Standards, when appointing fire safety professionals to carry out risk assessments or maintain vital firefighting equipment.

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