[ Update: Fire and security ] Alarm bells ringing?
The results of the Localism Act 2011 are creating new challenges and should be a cause for concern, warns STEFAN HAY of the Fire and Security Association (FSA)
Are these commercial enterprises going to be at
an unfair advantage in marketing themselves? For the average customer, we’d imagine the badging of these services as part of their local FRS would be deemed more than acceptable for the work they require. This would undermine the work our sector has
done for years to fi lter out cowboy installers. The system we have for ensuring quality – third-party accreditation – is extremely rigorous, independent and proven to work. If your fi rm has been accredited by NSI, SSAIB or, in some instances, Certsure, your customer can have peace of mind that you are a trustworthy and competent contractor. However, your average home or small business
L
ong-term readers of ECA Today may recall that, around a year or so ago, we raised concerns over the Localism Act 2011. At the time, one of the issues on the table was that of new powers granted to the fi re and
rescue services (FRS) to charge for false callouts, and the implications for our industry. However, there is a new challenge on the horizon
resulting from this Act. Section 9 (General Powers) has given certain fi re and rescue authorities a new string to their bow – the ability to set up commercial companies. And therein lies a signifi cant potential problem.
We are already hearing reports that various brigades are planning to go into business in the fi re and security sector. We know of at least three brigades that are setting up companies to maintain fi re and emergency lighting systems and provide a test and inspection service. We suspect this could be just the tip of the iceberg.
Advantage As an association of businesses, we recognise that fair competition in the marketplace is something to be encouraged and is benefi cial. However, it remains to be seen whether or not this new potential competition will be fair.
26 ECA Today September 2013
customer probably isn’t familiar with these designations. Granted, once you are in negotiations, these can be used to prove your worth over a competitor that doesn’t have this accreditation. But if a fi rm can brand itself as part of the FRS, a potential customer might not even bother looking further – even though the branding is essentially meaningless and carries no actual defi nition or criteria of quality. We also still don’t know if these new enterprises will be seeking third-party accreditation – the benchmark of competence in our sector.
The skills that make for an excellent and eff ective fi re service are not the same as those required for a fi re and security installer
Expertise And that is the crux of the matter. The skills that make for an excellent and eff ective fi re service are not the same as those required for a fi re and security installer. We are interconnected, but assuming a fi re and rescue authority is fully capable of doing the job of an installer is like assuming a Grand Prix driver is also an excellent mechanic. We would expect that these commercial fi rms will have suffi ciently trained technical staff , but this is no substitute for businesses that have been in this industry for years, with established training routes and plenty of experience. Furthermore, as an industry, businesses are
About the author
Stefan Hay is the head of the Fire and Security Association (FSA)
stronger together. Membership of a trade association gives companies a voice far larger than they would have individually. It also means potential clients have a central resource where they can be sure of fi nding quality contractors. Will these new, potentially publicly-funded and unaccredited commercial enterprises seek to comply with industry standards, join the fold and work with us? Or will they undermine everything we have worked for? At this point, we simply don’t know, and we have good reason to be concerned.
SHUTTERSTOCK/TIMOTHY LARGE
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