PSIJanuary2019

FIRE SAFETY
What you need to know about installing
fire detection and alarm systems
What do you need to know in order to safely and correctly install a fullyfunctioning
fire detection and alarm system within a building?
There are many aspects at play here: fire safety
legislation, Building Regulations, Health and
Safety (since there’s plenty of opportunity for
accidents when working with tools and up ladders)
and knowing what to do with the old equipment
(there are laws governing disposal of electrical
waste). These are not necessarily the first things
that spring to mind. Having a secure knowledge of
system components, fault-finding and installation
methods are the far more visible and vital parts of
the role, but all of the above help towards
broadening the installer’s knowledge.
Luckily, all of the above can be learned on the
Fire Industry Association’s (FIA) new qualification
pathway. The qualification pathway is currently the
only pathway of courses that will lead to a
nationally recognised qualification set at Level 3 on
the Regulated Qualifications Framework. This
translates as a Level 4 on the European
Qualifications Framework, meaning that those
individuals undertaking the qualification will meet
the level specified in the EN 16763 Services
Standard, which was released last year.
EN 16763 ‘Services for Fire Safety and Security
Systems’ outlines the minimum levels of education
that technicians should have at their disposal.
Although not mandatory by law, the Services
Standard specifies that those working on a system
should be qualified to at least Level 3 on the
European Qualifications Framework.
In a nutshell, EN 16763 lays out a Europe-wide
benchmark of quality that should be expected and
maintained throughout the industry. It sets out all
the prerequisites for the levels of skill, knowledge
and education that should be expected.
EN 16763 is all about hitting quality standards
for fire safety systems, focusing on who’s actually
doing the work and whether they’re doing it
correctly. With life safety systems, it really isn’t
acceptable that, in 2018, people are able to claim
that they can do the job without a certain level of
expertise behind them, but that’s what this
standard aims to define. The message is clear –
education is key. Fire detection and alarm installers
must be educated to at least Level 3 on the
European Qualifications Framework.
“The FIA’s
qualification pathway
is currently the only
pathway of courses
that will lead to a
nationally recognised
qualification set at
Level 3 on the
Regulated
Qualifications
Framework”
6
www.riskxtra.com