Competency matters
FOCUS
work closely with industry bodies, such as the Fire Industry Association (FIA), to develop training modules that are built around the competencies identified as essential to achieving reliable fire system installation and operation. Although manufacturer provided
training understandably tends to focus on the specific products of that company, the best manufacturer led courses take a much wider view. Look out for training that includes customised content specific to the project, installation, commissioning, maintenance and technical support engineers, as well as estimators, commercial salespeople, end users, system operators and those charged with training others. To be of maximum value, the course content should also draw heavily on practical examples of good and bad practice in the field, and highlight the common day to day assumptions and pitfalls that most often compromise safety and fire system integrity. Ideally, the manufacturer’s training will be provided free and frequently during the lifetime of the fire system. In this way, there are no budgetary barriers to receiving vital information about product updates and emerging best practice. This also ensures that competency is
maintained by refreshing knowledge, avoiding the development of bad habits in routine work, and sharing the latest techniques and thinking. Thanks to industry pressure for a change to the status quo, it is certainly not just manufacturers that provide training. A growing number of
industry bodies, including the FPA and FIA, offer courses covering many aspects of the competencies required for the safe design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire systems. Indeed, the FIA is now a qualification awarding authority.
Choosing only qualified installers who are
accredited by reputable and well established bodies is a good way of gaining further peace of mind that your fire protection measures are fit for purpose. It’s also worth remembering that in your choice of both products and installers, the old adage ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ is very appropriate. Fixating on price rather than value can lead to poor choices that compromise installations and expose the responsible person to unnecessary risk. Although on the face of it the FSO makes
the responsible person solely accountable for fire safety, in reality it’s a collective responsibility. Whether we’re looking on the micro level at ways in which people can help reduce fire risk in a particular building, or on the macro level at how we can improve industry wide standards, to be effective fire safety requires vigilance and active participation. For this reason, I’d urge you to join the debate
and play your part in promoting the need for wider knowledge sharing and recognised levels of competency across our industry
Mark Taylor is senior technical support engineer at Advanced. For more information, view page 5
www.frmjournal.com MARCH 2018 27
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