Qualifications/ courses in fire risk assessment

[kurnal]

In a moment of weakness that I dont remember, it seems I  agreed to provide a summary of relative values of the different FRA qualifications for the FIA Fire Risk Assessment Council.

To save admitting I was asleep throughout the whole meeting I wonder if anybody can give me a heads up on the various choices out there for someone wishing to become a qualified fire risk assessor.

So far I am aware of the IFE accredited courses offered by a number of providers, and the ABBE level 3 and 4 NVQ courses though not sure how many providers are offering those at present. I do have the ABBE level 3 and a draft level 4 handbook. I also have a copy of the FPA training brochure. I am aware of CFPA Europe Diploma but know little about it. Thats my lot so far.

If anyone can help with information, opinion or  experience of any such courses or qualifications, particularly if you are speaking from experience as an enthusiast or a critic I would be very grateful to hear from you, through the forum or by email.

Thanks in anticipation.

[William 29]

Kurnal, the IFSM do one, details are on their site but I don't know of anyone who has been through it.

[colin todd]

Kurnal, we do one that is IFE approved for the purpose of their register. Indeed, it was the first one ever approved by the IFE, though there are now several.

[kurnal]

Thanks
What I am also hoping to do is to have a look at the equivalence of the courses by establishing for each the required level of knowlege and experience required before commencing the course and the outcome in terms of skills and competence.

Something people sometimes call the underpinning knowledge. After all if the Industry is to move forward as we old ex fire brigade duffers fall off the end of the table there needs to be a route in for youngsters that delivers the underpinning knowledge of fire, building construction, fire safety systems, human behaviour etc in a structured way.

[Tom W]

It would be interesting to know how many "youngsters" are actually taking this route.

Im not talking about fire engineers but people (under 30) who are taking the route of fire risk assessor.

I wonder if the course providers would be able to tell us % of age groups.

[alfi]

 Hi Kurnal

NEBOSH do one as well "The NEBOSH National Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management " i did this one  along with the CFPA Europe Diploma, both of these have exams both practical and theory 

[Kelsall]

Kurnal

The IFSM have some approved courses and I presume IFPO do too.

When you say trained presumably there is some overreaching approval you are looking for, as there are hundreds offering training towards becoming a fire risk assessor FPA and Morton are two that spring to mind.

ABBE and Nebosh are the only two I know that have some sort of national approval status. Many claim to meet the NOSs or I have even seen one that meets the ‘competence standard’ requirements.

I would be interested to see your list, will it be made available to those not in the FIA?

[kurnal]

There are any number of courses available but I was interested in how these deliver the skills necessary to meet the now issued competence standard.

None of organizations offering courses has been prepared to share information with me for obvious reasons.

I have spoken at some length with the IFSM over their objectives and criteria against which they offer accreditation.

What worries me most is the all important underpinnng knowledge of fire safety. Whilst we have NOS only the ABBE and NEBOSH actually appear to have a published syllabus to meet these standards. I accept the principle that this is a matter for the training provider but in the absence of a national syllabus I fail to see how consistency can be achieved.  Throughout the training sector there is so much focus on jargon and quangos, CQAs, NQFs, QCF, NQF, awards, certificates, diplomas and what makes me angry is the focus on hours learning time without regard to content of what has to be learned. Quantity not quality. The "Key Skills Signposting" seems to have fallen by the wayside.  Perhaps it will come now we have a competence standard.

Fire Service College I am sure will work to a syllabus and I hope follows the good standards they set for the enforcers (prvided they have dumped their "Method")

As for the NEBOSH- marks for trying but 17 hours tuition to cover all the underpinning skills and knowledge from chemistry of fire, causes of fire and explosions, human behaviour, elements of structure, compartmentation, fire service access and facilities, alarms and detection,    sprinklers and fixed installations, etc etc leaves my mind boggled.

The ABBE have done a decent job in their handbooks in setting out a syllabus to meet the  standard, but again its very compressed.  And the underpinning knowledge is covered once - if you have level 3 you dont need to do any more for level 4. There is a vast difference between the competences for levels 3 and 4 and so either it is overdone at level 3 or neglected at level 4. I believe the latter.

But I have been described as a professional cynic so I would be glad to hear from someone who has been through it and can speak from experience.

As a friend remarked having completed the CFPA Europe diploma- "Ive got the qualification but in no way do I feel competent to carry out a fire risk assessment"