Feature Competency & Training FIA Guide to the UK Fire Safety Industry
Third party certification and the FIA
Over the last five years, the fire industry has been dramatically changing with most
believing this change has been for the better. As Chris Tilley discovers, the focus on
raising the bar on professionalism through competency and third party certification
are two key ways in which the industry is making itself smarter, better and safer
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ANYONE WORKING in the fire safety
industry will at least have heard of third
party certification, but some may not be
too sure about what it is. Even if you
work for a certificated company, you
might not be certain what the benefits
are for you or your business.
In essence, third party certification is
a consumer protection scheme. It
enables you, the supplier and certificated
company, to provide proof that your
company is competent. It means that an
independent expert – ie the third party
– has assessed your business and found
it to meet certain standards. These
standards usually relate to technical
aspects of the business’ activities, but
may also reference other aspects such as
ethical and/or environmental qualities.
How, then, does such certification
benefit the business? Many customers
know little about how fire can threaten
their people and their business or what
their legal obligations are here. Many are
also unaware that they have a duty to
employ ‘competent persons’. As every
good salesperson knows, educating the
client as to their problems and the
suitable solutions on offer is a major step
in the direction of closing a deal.
If you’re a certificated company, you
can clearly prove your competence and
differentiate yourself from much of the
competition. Those customers who are
aware of fire safety and the legal issues,
as well as the value of third party
certification, will seek those suppliers
who are certificated, often via the
scheme operator or the certification
body’s website. Newly certificated
companies are often surprised when
they receive enquiries from customers
whom they were not pursuing. They
may not even have been aware of them.
Additional sales at very little cost are
always welcome.
Customers who appreciate the value
of third party certification will generally
be aware that doing the job right may
cost more and, as such, should be
prepared to pay a premium for it. By the
same token, eliminating cut-price
competition means profit margins are
likely to be protected. Many certificated
companies claim that the discipline of
third party certification improves the
business as it forces closer internal
examination. This results in finding
better ways to do things, identifying
potential problems and averting
catastrophes before they can happen.
How does it work?
A third party certification body assesses
the qualities of your company by
comparing it with the requirements of a
particular scheme. If your business
meets these standards, it’s then issued
with a certificate detailing the scope of
your certification. This process is called
an audit and is carried out when your
organisation is first certificated and then
periodically – typically every six months
– to maintain the certification.
Your company (ie the certificated
organisation) is permitted to claim
compliance with the scheme, display
copies of your certificate and, in most