FireQual qualifications gain approval from ECS Steering Committee

Administered by the Joint Industry Board for the Electrotechnical Industry, the ECS is a Construction Skills Certification Scheme partner scheme covering the electrotechnical sector and includes more than 175,000 valid registrations. The ECS is the sole ID and competence scheme for the electrotechnical industry and proves an individual’s qualification status, main electrical occupation, identity and Health and Safety awareness to work within the sector.

One of the cards available via the ECS is the FESS Systems Operative Card. The ECS states “The ECS Fire, Emergency and Security Systems operative card is for people working in the FESS industry as a specialist installer or maintainer of FESS systems.”

As the specialist Awarding Body for fire and related sectors, FireQual has been working hard in the background to gain recognition of its qualifications within the ECS card scheme and is delighted that its fire detection and fire alarm qualifications have now gained approval from the ECS Steering Committee.

Application procedure

Individuals wishing to apply for the FESS systems operative card in fire can now do so after successful completion of one of the following qualifications:

*FireQual Award in Fundamentals of the Recommendations for Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Domestic Buildings at SCQF Level 6

*FireQual Award in Fundamentals of the Recommendations for Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Non-Domestic Buildings at SCQF Level 6

*FireQual Award in Fire Detection and Alarm Commissioning Theory and Regulatory Requirements at SCQF Level 6

Alternatively, a combination of the following qualifications is acceptable to be able to submit an application:

*FireQual Award in Fire Detection and Alarm Installation Theory and Regulatory Requirements at SCQF Level 6 and the FireQual Award in Fire Detection and Alarm Maintenance Theory and Regulatory Requirements at SCQF Level 6

*FireQual Award in Fire Detection and Alarm Design Theory and Regulatory Requirements at SCQF Level 6 and FireQual Award in Fire Detection and Alarm Maintenance Theory and Regulatory Requirements at SCQF Level 6

Knowledge and expertise

Nic Preston, director of qualifications at FireQual, said: “It’s excellent to see FireQual qualifications gaining recognition as quality evidence of a person’s individual knowledge and expertise. The ECS and the Joint Industry Board have acknowledged the robust nature of these regulated qualifications, offering as they do a credible source of understanding for individuals to work on life safety systems in the fire sector.”

Andy Reakes, head of growth at the Joint Industry Board, commented: “After great scrutiny, it’s apparent that these FireQual qualifications offer the right assurances of an individual’s understanding of the fire detection and fire alarm systems by mapping into the industry approved standard for this occupation. The FESS structure was brought about through the collaborative work of the FESS Employer Group involving the Fire Industry Association, the Fire and Security Association, the British Security Industry Association, the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board and SELECT. This is another aspect of that work designed to strengthen the industry recognition of these occupations.”

Reakes concluded: “The Joint Industry Board is pleased to see these FireQual qualifications approved as meeting the standard for the FESS systems operative card in fire to give greater industry recognition to the value of formalised qualifications and training in a safety-critical role.”

*For further information on FireQual, these qualifications and the other qualifications available visit www.firequal.com