NEWS – Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors

The Institute can announce that the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council, which we were instrumental in creating, has now produced its publication ‘Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors’.  It is believed than any third party accreditation or certification will use this document as a benchmark as the minimum criteria for assessing fire risk assessors.  The full version of the document can be found on the Technical Papers page of the website and a copy will be sent to all members of the Institute.  There is also a guide for Businesses and the Responsible Person being produced which will help businesses to decide who should carry out a fire risk assessment so that they comply with the law and protect people from fire in their premises.  This guide is in the final draft and members will be informed when it is finally published.

NEWS – Fire Risk Assessors Registers

The Nationally Accredited Fire Risk Assessors Register (NAFRAR) has been introduced by the Institute to ensure that those assessors who are eligible to register must have been through a process that has recognised their achievement at the highest standards and levels of competency for fire risk assessors that is available.  This means that their experience and competency has been successfully examined and tested by an independent third party accreditation / certification scheme.

The register is there to aid people who have been designated as ‘responsible persons’ under current legislation, including employers, building owners, building managers etc. in selecting a competent fire risk assessor to carry out fire risk assessments on their behalf.

The register holds details of individuals, including various services they provide, their location and contact details.  Individuals using the register should note that the register shows first the names of the individuals in alphabetical order.  Further searches can be carried out by clicking on the name for their details.

People using the register are reminded to read the important notes provided prior to entering the register, the conditions of which you must accept before proceeding.

Note: Until 2013, the original fire risk assessors register will be kept on this website whilst registrants ‘migrate’ via the process of third party accreditation onto the new NAFRAR.  Any person using the registers should note that registrants on either register may be just as competent, but that those on the NAFRAR have proved their competency by going through an independently assessed scheme.

Statutory Instrument 2010 No. 471

The Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010 have come into force. Every employer must, in entrusting tasks to employees, take into account their capabilities as regards health and safety, so far as those capabilities relate to fire. More details can be found on opsi government web site.

About the IFSM

The Institute of Fire Safety Managers is a professional body of highly respected individuals and companies who all share the same objective.

‘’To raise the awareness of fire safety at a local, national and international level, promoting fire prevention, fire protection and reducing the risk from fire as far as reasonable practicable’’

Members benefit through the organisation of technical conferences and training events, communication with 100’s of other like minded fire professionals, updates on latest news, standards and technical advances, dissemination from other fire related organisations worldwide and most of all remain at the forefront of the fire profession industry.

A fire risk assessors register has been introduced by the IFSM to help those who have been designated as ‘responsible persons’ under the legislation. The register will hold details of individuals who have gone through the registration process and who are considered to be appropriately qualified, and experienced as fire risk assessors, together with the services they provide.

We also encourage members who provide fire related courses to apply for accreditation via our accreditation team. For more information see our accreditation section

We welcome entry at all levels and actively encourage and promote knowledge advancement and membership progress.

Students in full time further education receive free membership during the duration of their study.

Note:

Members are reminded to keep the the Institute updated with any changes in contact details. Please use the attached

Membership, risk assessor and course accreditation fees are due each year in January and the reminders are sent out late in that month. To avoid a clashes with the different types of fees our reminder letters, are staggered accordingly.