the changes to BS 5306-3 was presented to FIA members competency levels for the fire protection industry. It
at a series of ½ day seminars and is available on the FIA played a key role in developing the careers road map
website. This presentation is supported by guidance on CE and in the discussions with IFE to establish a base level
marking and third party certification marks for portable qualification for the trade. All of this is now complete with
extinguishers. The standard for servicing of fire blankets a trial run of the IFE route well underway. The National
is well overdue in the market place and the FIA code Occupational Standard has been agreed and NVQ’s are
will be the first generally available and will be offered to being developed and will be available by 2010.
BSi to be converted to a BS standard. Members of PSC False alarms are a big issue for fire detection and
are actively involved in the BSi Task Group drafting the alarm companies and I&CMS has been working on a
revision to BS 5306-8 and when that standard is published number of projects within its objectives to reduce false
similar guidance to that for BS 5306-3 will be drafted and alarms. It contributes to the work with CFOA on the
issued. The same people are working hard to ensure that policy in unwanted fire signals. I&MCS members are
the National Examination Board proposed by BS 5306-3 working with the FIA’s Business Development Manager,
is established and is effective in harmonising portable Dave Smith on the false alarm reduction best practice
extinguisher qualifications and most importantly is project. It has prepared an FIA guide on steps to reduce
independent. false alarms and planned preventative maintenance.
The Committee has drafted guidance on the selection I&MCS has also instigated, through the training group,
of portable fire extinguishers in HMO’s to support the re-establishment of the manufacturers’ training
members in their discussions with clients to help the group to develop a common format for training offered
Responsible Persons meet their obligations under the by manufacturers.
Fire Safety Order. The committee identified that there Working with Extinguishing Council I&MCS developed
was a need for the FIA to provide an updated version the FIA F-Gas competence training and certification
of the FETA Extinguisher selection slide rule and work is scheme. This is now fully established and interim
underway to make this available to FIA members. certificates are being issued to companies to allow
them to comply with the UK and EU legislation. The
FDWG6 -SYSTEM training courses run by the FIA and FIA member
This is small but very active working group which has been companies to allow companies to gain full certification
working on some important objectives for FIA members. will be rolled out during the 3rd and 4th quarters of
The guidance on BS 7273-4 is one such activity; after it was 2009. This is a major success for the FIA and has been
published in 2007 it was quickly realized that this standard a long process; the discussions with DEFRA and the EU
for activation of door equipment would have significant began in 2004 when the legislation was being drafted.
implications for fire detection and alarm systems and in The result of all this hard work is legislation that is not
particular control equipment. The intent of the guidance over burdensome on the trade and a training and
was to provide simple advice on the implications of the certification scheme that is simple and cost effective.
standard but as drafting progressed other issues have Another major piece of European legislation that is
surfaced and the scope of the guidance has changed to starting to impact on the fire industry is the EU Directive
cover other standards in this area not just BS 7273-4. Duct on Services in the Internal Market known as the Services
detectors was another area where guidance was lacking in Directive. I&CMS is working with FD&A Council through
the standards scene. Although there is now work on a CEN the European trade association, Euralarm, to ensure
product standard EN 54-27, there is still a need for guidance that the effect of this legislation is not detrimental to
on installation of duct detectors. A task group chaired by FIA members and also using the directive as a tool to
Bernard Laluvein under FDWG6 is pulling together experts to promote competency across Europe.
draft this guidance. This project started in August 2009 and Since its formation in 2007 the Services Council
has a target completion of Q2 2010. has been a key group in the FIA and will continue to
promote the views of FIA members in the key area of
INSTALLER AND MAINTAINERS COMMERCIAL services which, in a time of recession, is of increased
SECTION importance.
This committee, chaired by Dave Bartlett, has been
active in some of the main developments in establishing Keith Goodwin, Chairman, Services Council
FIA ANNUAL REPORT 2009 11
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