SFJ Awards expands fire risk assessment qualifications suite

A new qualification, the Advanced Level 5 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment, is currently in development and will support learners to conduct specialist fire risk assessments in a variety of complex settings, including high-risk residential and mixed-use buildings, complex shopping premises, high-risk hospital buildings and sports grounds, for example.

Ahead of the Level 5 Certificate’s launch later this year, a consultation has now opened inviting stakeholder views in order to ensure that the qualification reflects Best Practice.

As is the case with the existing suite of qualifications, the Level 5 Certificate is aligned with BS 8674 and the Building Safety Act 2022 and will, following approval, be submitted to BAFE for inclusion on the SP205 qualification register.

Professional competence

Phil Dean, managing director of WFST, has supported the development of the new qualification. He commented: “The new suite of SFJ Awards Fire Risk Assessment qualifications up to Level 5 represents a step-change in professional competence, aligning fully with the requirements of BS 8674 fire risk assessor frameworks, while also advancing significantly beyond the baseline expected by the British Standard.”

Dean continued: “The qualifications are underpinned by a rigorous training needs analysis and built with environmental fidelity at their core. Each pathway contains units tailored to the real‑world complexities of specific fire risk contexts that ensure assessors develop domain‑specific expertise. This structure enables organisations and individuals alike to target the exact competencies required for specialised environments, dramatically improving quality, consistency and assurance across fire risk assessments.”

Important development

David Higham, managing director at SFJ Awards, informed Fire Safety Matters: “The expansion of the fire risk assessment-focused suite of qualifications is an important development that supports learners to operate at an advanced level of practice. Not only does the suite provide flexibility and specialist learning at every stage, but it also goes beyond current requirements to drive up safety standards even further.”

Higham concluded: “Taken together, the qualifications suite helps to set a new benchmark for professional fire safety education, which will support improved standards in fire risk assessments in the long-term.”

*The aforementioned Level 5 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment-centred stakeholder consultation is now open and inviting representations from across the sector to help shape the next stage of fire risk assessor training and competence development. To find out more visit: https://sfjawards.com/fire-risk-assessment-suite-expanded/#consultation