BAFE, the not-for-profit third party certification registration body for the fire industry, recently hosted a fire safety reception at the Scottish Parliament to highlight continued efforts to improve quality in fire safety through third party certification.
Michael McMahon MSP (pictured, back right) stressed the need to ensure the competence of fire risk assessors in commercial premises, who BAFE says ‘are currently completely unregulated’.
Catastrophic events such as the fire in 2004 at Rosepark Nursing Home in Uddingston, Lanarkshire in his constituency should, the MSP said, ‘never happen’, necessitating the use only of competent, independently assessed fire protection companies trained to look for all potential risks. Michael McMahon said: “Fire risk assessments should be undertaken by properly qualified professionals able to demonstrate their competence, as they are a vital part of fire risk management to keep people safe.”
The Rosepark Nursing Home fire is still very much an active issue within the SFRS, highlighting the need for independently assessed, third party-certified fire risk assessors. Assistant Chief Officer, Lewis Ramsay, said: “There is an issue with the competence of fire risk assessors, and with the way in which we deploy people and expect them to deliver a very safe, sensible, and competent assessment of what is indeed a complex task.” Conclusions from Sherriff Lockhart’s inquiry stated that the deaths at Rosepark could have been prevented had a suitable fire safety plan been in place.
BAFE operates multiple fire safety schemes, including Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment (SP205), developed to raise awareness of the Duty Holder’s responsibility to uphold fire safety legislation. A Fire Risk Assessment is mandatory by law.
