THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION RAISING STANDARDS OF FIRE PROTECTION IN BUILDINGS
CERTIFICATION
Third party certification sets out a scope of approval that products meet specific requirements or standards, and is carried out by independent, UKAS-accredited certification bodies like BM TRADA.
YOU HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Ensuring life safety should be the principal concern when considering the design, build and occupancy of every building. For non-domestic premises, ensuring safety is upheld also encompasses legal responsibilities as outlined in various national regulations.
The responsible person as identified by the RR(FS)O, is responsible for the following:
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RR(FS)O) designates the role of the ‘responsible person’ for every building. The responsible person, who may be an owner, leaseholder or employer, should be aware of all legal requirements and is responsible for undertaking fire safety assessments and fire risk assessments, ensuring that the in-use phase of a building’s lifecycle is not neglected and that all regulations are upheld. This applies to both existing buildings and newly built, occupied buildings. It is important therefore that all duty holders that have a responsibility for managing the fire safety within the building, as defined in the RR(FS)O, have the correct procedures in place. In Northern Ireland, the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 requires a similarly placed ‘appropriate person,’ and in Scotland there is a ‘duty holder’ under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. The overarching aim of these pieces of legislation is broadly similar to the RR(FS)O but it is advised that the specific requirements are understood for those individuals working within these countries.
UPDATES FOLLOWING THE FIRE SAFETY ACT 2021 In April 2021, the Fire Safety Act 2021 received Royal Assent and amended some sections of the RR(FS)O for England and Wales. When they come into effect, the amendments will: •
Designate all residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises as applicable under the RR(FS)O.
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Alter the scope of the RR(FS)O to include external components, including doors, windows and balconies, within the definition of an external wall, and any doors between common and domestic parts of the building.
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‘Take or observe’ general fire precautions set out in the relevant legislation to ensure ‘as far as is reasonably practicable’ the safety of relevant persons.
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Understanding what preventive and protective building measures are needed for a particular building by fire risk assessment.
3.
Ensuring that a suitable planned programme of maintenance exists for all facilities, equipment and devices.
Failure to comply with the provisions of the RR(FS)O can result in the serving of an Enforcement Notice, a Prohibition Notice (where the use of a building is prohibited or restricted) and the prosecution of the responsible person, which can result in a fine, or even imprisonment.
THE FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT If you are appointing an individual to undertake your fire risk assessment, you still have a duty under the legislation to ensure that the fire risk assessment has reasonably identified the fire hazards; that risk reduction and mitigation has been carried out and residual risk appropriate protection measures are implemented or proposed. Critical to this is ensuring that the appointed fire risk assessor has the necessary competence to adequately carry out the fire risk assessment for the particular premises. Certification schemes, such as FRACS, certify the competence of individuals and companies carrying out fire risk assessments, which will help the responsible person or duty holder meet their duties under the legislation. As the ‘responsible person’ you have a legal responsibility to: •
Act on the findings identified in the fire risk assessment
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Ensure the competency of those individuals you appoint to undertake any replacement, repair or maintenance of the fire protection measures in the building
Building assurance in the minds of our customers and offering solutions for a complex world underpins everything that we do. To consistently deliver on our promise, we work to three guiding principles: technical excellence, operational excellence and customer excellence.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION WHAT IS THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION?
WHEN TO SPECIFY THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION
Third party certification schemes ensure that the manufacturer of a product, or the individuals who install or maintain products, have been independently assessed.
Third party certification should be specified throughout the supply chain to ensure competency.
In addition to initial audits, both product manufacturers and individuals who install and maintain those products are subject to periodic sample and witness audits. This is to ensure the consistency in both the quality of the manufactured product, as well as that of the installation and maintenance work. This confirms that the quality of the product and the manufacturing process, and the abilities of the installation or maintenance personnel, are upheld over time and continue to meet all performance requirements.
Fire Risk Assessment
Third party certification is a conformity assessment activity performed by a person or body who/which is independent of the person or organization that provides the product or service.
New or replacement product
HOW DO YOU ENSURE COMPETENCY IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN?
e.g. fire doors, fire stopping
Specify certified Fire Risk Assessor
Specify certified product manufacturer
The best way to determine the quality of products and their ability to meet required performance standards, and to ensure the competency of the individuals you may need to appoint to meet obligations under legislation, is to seek independent verification. Independent, third party certification schemes, such as FRACS and Certifire, provide the regulator, specifier, customer and end-user with confidence in the stated performance of the product and offer an informed choice when purchasing or selecting the product. Certification assures performance, quality, reliability and traceability of products and systems. It is recognized by regulatory authorities worldwide as an international mark of fire safety across a diverse range of products, including hardware. These schemes differentiate products and processes from noncertified equivalents, and they can also be used by architects, specifiers, contractors and building owners as they provide assurance that fire protection products and systems correctly installed will perform as required. This avoids costly mistakes down the line and dramatically reduces risk.
Specify certified installation contractor
On-going product maintenance
Specify certified maintenance and repair contractor
BM TRADA Q-MARK
CERTIFIRE
FIRAS
FRACS
Certification of fire protection products as well as installation and maintenance contractors
Certification of fire protection products
Certification of contractors installing both passive and active fire protection systems
Certification of individuals and companies carrying out fire risk assessments
THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH BM TRADA AND WARRINGTONFIRE •
Product installation
Globally recognized, highly respected and fully accredited certification business, which means certification from us is readily accepted by specifiers.
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With 30 years’ experience, deep technical knowledge and industry leading standard of service, we have thousands of certified customers in more than 70 countries around the world.
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Our auditors are selected for their industry experience, local knowledge and ability to work collaboratively alongside clients, giving you peace of mind.
HOW TO FIND THIRD PARTY CERTIFIED PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS AND CONTRACTORS Full details of manufacturers and contractors certified to the BM TRADA Q-Mark scheme can be found at www.bmtrada.com/certified-companies
Full details of manufacturers and contractors certified to Warringtonfire schemes can be found at www.warringtonfire.com/certified-companies
As a division of Element Materials Technology, one of the fastest growing and a top 10 global Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) business, we offer true end-to-end certification solutions, including independent certification of an organization’s management systems, supply chain, product and personnel to internationally recognized and accepted standards.
FOR FURTHER INQUIRIES
please contact: info.highwycombe@bmtrada.com info.warrington@warringtonfire.com BM TRADA +44 (0) 1 494 569 750 Warringtonfire +44 (0) 1925 541 269
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