third party certification for fire risk assessors - will it take off?

[wee brian]

The FIA position is the same as the policy adopted by the ASFP. It's taken years of work, but now more and more main contractors are looking for TPC from their fire protection contractors.  That's what responsible trade associations do.

[Golden]

Wee Brian - a good friend and colleague has spent a fortune on TPA for passive fire protection and QA standards such as ISO90001. He is regularly overlooked and mainly on price compared to those without the accreditation. My experience of TPA as a small company is that it is costly and has no return whatsoever on your investment - the bigger companies can absorb that cost and pass it on to their clients but personally I can't afford the time or the money. As for main contractors looking for TPC this is due to their own QA and risk management on the bigger projects where the contracts are sewn up by the companies who have all of the badges and many will find that SP205 will not be sufficient accreditation to get these jobs. We are still in a position where many RPs employ risk assessors without even checking that they have insurance!

When the FIA get to the position of the ASFP then I'll dust off my paperwork and re-apply but I'm certainly not holding my breath. 

[wee brian]

Sure, that comes as no surprise and I understand where you are at.

My answer to the original question is - yes, probably, but it will take a while.

[kurnal]

The FIA should be applauded for trying to drag the industry to where it ought to be.

I fully agree with that Colin. But I am interested to know why it is not taking off and why people do not appear to agree with you.

I have shared my own reasons with you and others but my position is different than most as I am looking to down scale my business rather than grow it. And am not taking on new customers nowadays.

Its a shame that the FIA and the IFSM are lone voices. If things carry on as they are now their brave stance in setting an example is likely to result in membership of both organisations declining to 10% of their current levels. Plummeting membership levels will not help the scheme take off- they will slow it down as with only 20 odd certificated providers nationally it will fall off the radar for a number of years.

Could this be prevented by stronger promotion of the schemes via Business link, advertising, and Government / local government/ fire services helping the push?.

Personally I don't think getting cross with people will help.  Is there a role for the FSF?

Did SP203 have the same slow start?

[Kelsall]

Big Al, in answer to your questions:

We have applied and been certificated
Nothing would put me off applying
Nothing would  make me apply, I did it myself
The uptake is slow because fire safety sadly is a second rate profession compared to other professionals with whom we would like to equate ourselves and it will not get better until the profession realises that and shows more professionalism in putting it sown house in order and stopping cowboy practitioners.

If the FIA lose members because they are not prepared to seek the TPC that they signed up to getting, so be it. Its not about bums on seats. Its about ensuring that if a member of the public uses an FIA member, whether for maintenance of their fea or designing their fire alarm system, they are not just buying the services of a company that paid a cheque and got membership-they are using companies in whom there can be the confidence of TPC.  The FIA should be applauded for trying to drag the industry to where it ought to be.

I agree with Colin!

[kurnal]

No that can't surely be true?

[wee brian]

Wow - I feel as though we should declare a public holiday or something!

[nearlythere]

Wow - I feel as though we should declare a public holiday or something!

What about a street party.

[PGtips]

Hang on, remember not too long ago, both Dave and Ed said, "I agree with Nick" ....look what happened there. Put your bunting away....

[colin todd]

Wee B, your political masters declare public holidays too easily, like when some of these royal geezers do something or other.  Complete waste of time and lost productivity. He only agrees with me cos I bought a second hand telly from him at Warrington Domestic Appliances.

[wee brian]

normal service has been resumed

[Kelsall]

I see Colin is still pushing for his 'King of Scotland' dream! Come independence and they will need a new monarch up there in the North. I dare say he will be typically two faced and declare a public holiday

King Colin Day - All the children will have to stand in lines in the playground and recite from the pages of PAS 79. Where the Scottish fire service will burn an effigy of me and when they finally put out the fire they will chant these words 'We are just hose squirting fire monkeys and King Colin is the god of all things fire' and politicians will have to crawl through mud to confirm they are worms.
Looking on the bright side at least he will be north of the border with his new telly; and when he has worn it out watching the replay of his coronation he will no doubt be back blaming me for selling him a crap TV.  

Normal service has indeed resumed.

[Tom W]

I don't think any of them have heard of you Kel.

[Kelsall]

Why would they have heard of me?
Do try and follow the context of the text and stop just jumping in to defend your dad. I know you love the old man but honestly it shouldn't make you blind to his frailties, nor excuse his rampant dismissing of everyone else who isn't Colin Todd.

[nearlythere]

I see Colin is still pushing for his 'King of Scotland' dream! Come independence and they will need a new monarch up there in the North. I dare say he will be typically two faced and declare a public holiday

King Colin Day - All the children will have to stand in lines in the playground and recite from the pages of PAS 79. Where the Scottish fire service will burn an effigy of me and when they finally put out the fire they will chant these words 'We are just hose squirting fire monkeys and King Colin is the god of all things fire' and politicians will have to crawl through mud to confirm they are worms.
Looking on the bright side at least he will be north of the border with his new telly; and when he has worn it out watching the replay of his coronation he will no doubt be back blaming me for selling him a crap TV.  

Normal service has indeed resumed.

What about a Dotty Day? Sounds like a day of fun and frolics.