ECS card introduced for FESS technical auditors

The FESS technical auditor ECS card is for those auditors who’ve met both the technical competencies – such as FESS or electrical gold card requirements at Level 3 apprenticeship, vocational qualification or equivalent – and industry standard for auditors’ qualifications or certifications.

The FESS technical auditor card highlights good quality standards applied to all individual roles, including those who are responsible for confirming standards are being observed via third party certification schemes.

Requirements for the ECS FESS technical auditor are as follows: 
*auditor qualification or certification, such as IRCA auditor 
*sector qualifications, such as FESS apprenticeship or the Experienced Worker Assessment
*minimum of five years’ experience 
*evidence of ongoing Continuing Professional Development
*Health and Safety and environmental awareness

Development of the new card has been driven by an industry need to ensure those individuals undertaking technical auditing roles are themselves qualified and competent. It’s a move that has already been championed by third party certification body the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) and specialist fire and security training provider Zzeus Training.

Sector technical competencies

SSAIB – the technical certification body for organisations providing security systems and services, fire detection and alarm systems – will require all of its auditors to hold a FESS technical auditor ECS card in order to demonstrate that they’ve met both sector technical competencies and national auditor requirements.

Trevor Jenks, training manager at the SSAIB, explained: “It has always been a concern that, in the fire and security systems sectors, many people are unqualified and have not had the opportunity to undertake relevant training, qualifications or certification in their role to be able to prove competence against the sectors’ FESS standard. This is true not only for those installing, maintaining and commissioning fire and security systems, but also for those in supporting teaching and training roles, as well as those carrying out third party technical audits.”

Jenks continued: “It’s not good enough to rely on the third party certification of the enterprise or organisation alone. We need to consider the competence of all individuals within that organisation as well. At the SSAIB, we undertake technical audits to confirm both organisational and individual compliance with the standards. This is reflected in the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours of all our technical auditors who now will hold the FESS technical auditor card as confirmation of their competence to conduct highly valued technical auditing role.”

Further, Jenks noted: “We’re pleased to see the ECS recognise this crucial occupation within its certification scheme, which facilitates quick and easy evidence of individual competence within the third party auditing process when required. We are proud to be a driving force in raising the competence bar within the fire and security sectors and to lead, by example, in maintaining the highest professional and technical standards to which we adhere.”

Vital addition

Andy Reakes, director of growth and development at the Joint Industry Board and the ECS, explained: “The FESS technical auditor ECS card is a vital addition to the suite of ECS cards aimed at raising competence and improving industry standards. It’s great to see industry coming together to collectively drive forward the competence agenda. This move represents a new area for certification, which will only help to raise the bar further and help to realise a safer built environment for all.”

Tom Brookes, chair of the Fire and Security Association and the managing director at Zzeus Training, has been certifying his staff against the standard. “At Zzeus Training,” observed Brookes, “we are ensuring that all of our staff members have the relevant qualifications, training and assessment in place for their various roles. I wanted Zzeus Training to be at the forefront of this development. My team is up-to-date with the latest standards, and all have ECS cards to demonstrate the standard which they’ve achieved as part of our rigorous quality assurance processes.”

Brookes added: “This card also addresses the age-old problem of ‘Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?’ or ‘Who watches the watchers?’. The new requirements for FESS within ECS have resulted in competency standards continuing in an upward trajectory, with ECS card recognition successfully promoting higher standards and skills, in turn advancing the standards of professionalism and competence in the sector.”

*Further information is available online at www.ecscard.org.uk