Lane is a Fellow of Arup and a chartered senior engineering executive with 30-plus years’ experience of operating across a wide variety of sectors within the built environment. Importantly, she served as an expert witness for Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry from 2017 to 2024.

Davies has served on the Building Advisory Committee since its inception and is currently head of technical insight at the Chartered Association of Building Engineers. Additionally, he serves on several distinguished industry groups and chaired the Building Advisory Committee’s predecessor body (namely the Building Regulations Advisory Committee) from 2020 to 2023.

The appointments of Dr Lane and Dr Davies to these senior roles “represents the start of an important transition” for the Building Advisory Committee.

The Building Advisory Committee is wholly committed to strengthening its role as a key source of advice and support to the Building Safety Regulator alongside the Industry Competence Committee, chaired by Jon Vanstone and the Statutory Residents’ Panel, which is currently in the process of recruiting its own independent chair.

Dr Lane and Dr Davies are already liaising closely with the Building Safety Regulator to ensure a smooth leadership transition. The strategic direction of the Building Advisory Committee is being considered to ensure that it works in conjunction with the Building Safety Regulator “to deliver maximum impact”.

The shared ambition is to drive real change across the sector and act as a positive influence on the regulator, the Building Advisory Committee and the regimes operating under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Powerful force   

Dr Barbara Lane stated: “Taking on this independent role is part of my ongoing commitment to create a safe and equitable built environment. One that works for everyone. I believe that the Building Advisory Committee can be a powerful force for good across the sector, building on the harsh lessons learned from the Grenfell Tower fire. Ultimately, my aim is to try and remedy the shortcomings exposed in our building standards in order to protect and improve the lives of millions throughout the country.”

Dr Hywel Davies added: “I’m pleased to be appointed deputy chair and supporting Dr Lane in her new role. The Building Advisory Committee has a critical role to play supporting the Building Safety Regulator in its work to improve the building safety regime, identify risks posed to building users and provide consistent and timely standards and guidance that can meet the complex challenges we face today.”

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO of the Building Safety Regulator, observed: “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome both Dr Lane and Dr Davies to their new roles on the Building Advisory Committee. Together, they bring a wealth of expertise garnered from successful careers working in the built environment and will make a real difference to the positive impact of the Building Safety Regulator, the Building Advisory Committee and regimes under the Building Safety Act 2022.”

Pugsley concluded: “Their combined knowledge and skills will be invaluable when it comes to informing and supporting our mission to ensure safer homes and buildings for all.”

*Further information is available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/building-safety-regulator

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces survival chances by up to 10%. With the rapid use of a defibrillator, survival rates can reach as high as 70%.

In the event of a large or complex incident, such as a multi-floor building fire or a motorway collision, the distance between a firefighter working at the scene and a defibrillator fixed to a wall or stored in a vehicle can be considerable. That distance costs time Emergency Services crews cannot necessarily afford to lose.

While defibrillators save lives, traditional devices are bulky and heavy. Fire crews already carry breathing apparatus, PPE and radio equipment, and the cumulative weight takes a real physical toll across any given shift.  

Portable defibrillators

A new generation of ultra-portable defibrillators could change how fire crews respond to medical emergencies and protect public safety.

St John Ambulance’s HEART Pocket defibrillator weighs just 700 g and is roughly the size of a mobile phone, making it the smallest and lightest defibrillator currently available.

The HEART Pocket is small enough to fit in a pocket. As such, crew members can remain agile and quick. This means less fatigue across a shift, faster movement when it counts and, crucially, quicker time-to-treatment for patients.

Crew members can respond to a cardiac arrest incident the moment they arrive on scene. What’s more, the HEART Pocket provides step-by-step voice guidance with CPR prompts, including a metronome and hand placement instructions, thereby enabling responders to confidently intervene before specialist support arrives.  

The HEART Pocket is supplied with an eight-year warranty and approved to the EU’s Medical Device Regulation, meeting the highest standards of safety and reliability to protect the public.

Ready to respond

Cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate by age so the equipment carried by those who respond should reflect that. The HEART Pocket features a built-in paediatric mode, allowing Emergency Services personnel to switch between adult and child settings at the press of a button, with no need to carry separate pads or additional accessories.

For crews attending house fires, school incidents or family emergencies, that capability matters.

Fire and Rescue Service equipment must withstand heat, smoke, water and extreme physical impact. The HEART Pocket is rated IP65 for dust and water resistance and has been drop-tested from 1.5 metres.

Drawing on over 150 years of First Aid expertise, St John Ambulance has built this device for the unpredictable conditions that fire crews face every day such that they can rely on the HEART Pocket, no matter what situations they may face on their shift.

Power of First Aid

Defibrillators mounted on walls or stored in vehicles can save lives, but distance and delay remain an obstacle. With portable defibrillators, whomever arrives first on scene brings the life-saving capability with them, closing the gap between arrival and treatment.

St John Ambulance is the sole UK distributor of the HEART Pocket defibrillator, helping fire crews to save lives across the country.

All profits from sales of the defibrillator are ploughed back into supporting the charity’s vital work, in turn helping to fund the essential training and equipment volunteers need at their disposal in order to keep communities safe.

Gareth Barker is Head of Event Healthcare at St John Ambulance (www.sja.org.uk)

*Further information is available online at shop.sja.org.uk/s/pkt0

Sentencing took place at Poole Magistrates’ Court on 31 March after the company entered a guilty plea to a charge brought forward by the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Portelet Manor Limited entered the plea in relation to an offence contrary to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that put people at risk of death or serious injury. Contrary to Article 11 of the Fire Safety Order, Portelet Manor Limited failed to ensure appropriate fire safety arrangements were in place.

In addition to the fine, Portelet Manor Limited was ordered to pay £22,000 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

Background to the case

A resident who had been smoking in the Care Home’s designated smoking area on 19 June 2023 suffered significant burns and died in hospital eleven days later. Although the Fire and Rescue Service was not called to the incident, it was made aware of what had happened and opened an investigation.

Tom Huntley, fire safety prosecution manager for the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, stated: “First and foremost, the thoughts of us all at Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service remain with the loved ones, friends and family of the person who tragically lost their life. Public safety is our highest priority. Poole Magistrates’ Court’s finding should serve as a clear message to everyone in Dorset and Wiltshire about the importance of fire safety.”

Huntley added: “We are fully committed to supporting businesses and ‘Responsible Persons’ to ensure the safety of members of the public. However, where there’s a failure to comply with legal requirements, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service will pursue prosecution action where it’s appropriate and in the public interest to do so. This case highlights the very serious consequences of failures in fire safety management.”

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

As a representative for IPS, itself a BAFSA member, Wright has been a member of three BAFSA Committees (Technical, Skills and Development and Continuing Professional Development) and lists involvement in the development of the ABBE L2 Certificate in Fire Sprinkler Installation on his CV.

Ruth Oliver, skills and development adviser and head of training at BAFSA, commented: “Paul’s skills, knowledge and experience will support the aspirations of BAFSA as it moves forward, including the growth of new qualifications. Regulated qualifications are part of the requirements to demonstrate knowledge within the fire sprinkler sector. Paul’s support in this area in terms of assessing L2 candidates and working with all those undertaking qualifications by providing support through their training programme will be extremely valuable. He’s a welcome addition to the BAFSA team.”

Commenting on his new role, Wright noted: “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to work alongside BAFSA. I’ve known the organisation for a long time and understand its commitment to excellence. I’m now looking forward to contributing my skills, learning from others and growing together as we achieve great things.”

Paul Wright can be contacted via e-mail at: [email protected]

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

The Howard League has stated: “The Ministry of Justice has known for almost 20 years that tens of thousands of people in prison are forced to occupy cells that do not meet lawful fire safety standards. Faced with a capacity crisis so acute that more than half of prisons are overcrowded, the Government has reneged on a commitment to make all cells fire-safe by the end of 2027 or take them out of use. No new deadline has been set.”

The Howard League can reveal that, towards the end of last year, more than 60 prisons were waiting for work to address and improve fire safety. Those prisons included Stocken, Eastwood Park, Swaleside, Risley, Wealstun, Chelmsford and Holme House, all of which have witnessed fatal fires in the last 15 years.

More than 40 prisons were waiting for the installation of in-cell automatic fire detection equipment, which alerts members of staff to fire episodes on an immediate basis. They included the aforementioned Eastwood Park, where Clare Dupree was fatally injured in a fire that occurred back in December 2022.

In mid-March, an Inquest Jury at Avon Coroner’s Court found that there had been “missed opportunities” to prevent Dupree’s death and that a “lack of automatic in-cell fire detection caused a delay” in detecting the fire. More than three years on from the tragedy, automatic fire detection is yet to be installed in Dupree’s former cell.

Freedom of Information request

As stated, Government documents were made available to the Howard League in response to a Freedom of Information request. The lists were alphabetised by the Ministry of Justice, making it “impossible” to tell which prisons require action most urgently.

The Howard League has requested updated lists – including details of how many cells in each prison are affected, when works will start and how long they will last – but the Ministry of Justice “has so far refused to provide them”.

The Howard League has threatened the Government with legal action if it doesn’t remedy the situation. Last October, the charity sent pre-action letters to Eastwood Park, Norwich, Swaleside, Wandsworth and Wetherby prisons. Despite them all having serious fire safety risks, works have yet to start in four of those five prisons, including at Eastwood Park and Swaleside where there were fatal fires in 2019 and 2022.

It was only after the threat of litigation from the Howard League that the Government notified its independent fire safety regulator, namely the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate, that it no longer intended to take non-compliant cells out of use by the end of 2027.

Chaos in the system

Andrea Coomber KC (Hon), CEO of the Howard League for Penal Reform, stated: “From chronic overcrowding and rising violence to record levels of self-harm and people being released by mistake, chaos in the prison system is rarely out of the headlines. Until now, fire safety has largely remained under the radar, but the long-running detention of tens of thousands of people in fire-risk cells, and the Government’s U-turn on a deadline to solve this issue, amounts to a national scandal.”

Coomber added: “After almost two decades of inaction by the Ministry of Justice, worried families are having to listen to yet more broken promises. We know that at least eleven people have died in cell fires since the Government accepted its responsibility to install automatic fire detection equipment. How many more lives will be lost?”

Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Howard League also submitted requests to the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate asking for disclosure of all informal, formal and statutory notices served by it in respect of prisons in England and Wales. The Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate provided notices covering a two-year period from November 2023 to October last year.

It emerges that 16 prisons – Belmarsh, Chelmsford, Dovegate, Durham, Eastwood Park, Elmley, Holme House, Leyhill, Lowdham Grange, Maidstone, Norwich, Swaleside, Wakefield, Wandsworth, Wetherby and Wormwood Scrubs – all received Crown Enforcement Notices in the two-year period. A Crown Enforcement Notice is sent when the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate has identified a significant failure by a Crown body – such as a prison governor, the Ministry of Justice or His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service – to comply with fire safety legislation. Crown Enforcement Notices outline the issues involved and request that action is taken to ensure compliance.

Further, six prisons – Eastwood Park, Holme House, Manchester, Norwich, Swaleside and Wetherby – received ‘Step Away’ notices in the two-year period. A ‘Step Away’ notice is issued by the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate when there has been non-compliance with a Crown Enforcement Notice and the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate would pursue a criminal prosecution if Crown immunity did not apply.

Fire Safety Manager

Abingdon Road, Culham, UK
Employees work in a hybrid mode
Full-time
Salary: £71,815 + excellent benefits, including outstanding pension
Division: Estates Division
Site Location: UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire
Confirmed Grade: Grade I
Department: Estates

Closing date for entries: 20/04/2026

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Company Description

Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon-free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA leads the way in realising fusion energy, partnering with industry and research organisations to achieve ground-breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

Job Description

Fire Safety Manager, Duty Holder, and subject matter expert, leads the Fire Safety & Building Security Group within the Estates Compliance & Governance Unit. Responsible for managing an in-house team, supported by specialist contractors, to deliver planned and reactive maintenance and upgrades of fire safety systems across UKAEA’s multi-site estate, including Culham, West Burton, Rotherham, Whitehaven and satellite locations.

Core responsibilities

- Act as Subject Matter Expert and Competent Person for fire safety across UKAEA, providing authoritative advice and ensuring compliance with legislation.
- Develop and deliver fire safety strategy, policies and long-term plans aligned to regulatory and organisational requirements.
- Lead and manage the Fire Safety and Building Security team, ensuring effective capability, performance and continuous development.
- Ensure active and passive fire safety systems (and related security interfaces) are compliant, maintained and fit for purpose.
- Provide expert guidance on fire prevention, protection and risk management across complex scientific and operational facilities.
- Deliver fire safety programmes and projects to time, cost and quality, balancing compliance with operational needs.
- Lead training, awareness and cultural improvement initiatives to strengthen fire safety capability across the organisation.
- Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, driving collaboration and continuous improvement in fire safety performance.
- Lead incident investigation and assurance, ensuring corrective actions, lessons learned and robust governance are in place.
- Support emergency preparedness and crisis management, providing specialist fire safety input to organisational response planning.

Qualifications

- Chartered Engineer (or working towards) with a recognised body such as the Institution of Fire Engineers, or equivalent qualification in fire engineering.
- Member-level professional accreditation (e.g. Institute of Fire Engineers, Institute of Fire Safety Managers).
- Relevant fire safety qualifications, such as NEBOSH Fire Safety Certificate and passive fire protection certification (or equivalent).
- Broad technical engineering background across multiple disciplines.
- Significant experience in fire safety or fire engineering roles, with strong application of legislation, codes of practice and standards.
- In-depth knowledge of UK fire safety legislation, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, Building Regulations and associated health, safety and construction law (HSWA, MHSWR, Building Safety Act, CDM, DSEAR).
- Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at all organisational levels.
- Understanding of fire safety and building security system integration to improve compliance and operational efficiency.

Additional Information

A full list of our benefits can be found on our website, but highlights include:

- £71,815 salary, inclusive of a £7,700 specialist allowance
- Final salary defined benefit scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
- 25 days’ annual leave, plus 3 days Christmas closure, 2.5 privilege days and 8 Bank Holidays
- Flexible and hybrid working options

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit. Further information can be found on our website.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

The improvement plan introduces several measures including:

*a dedicated Task Force: a new external remediation multidisciplinary team will mirror the BSR’s existing Innovation Unit’s success by streamlining communication and processing through dedicated account managers

*reduced caseloads: a recruitment drive to increase regulatory lead capacity, reducing individual caseloads from an average of 25 down to a more manageable level of circa ten to the benefit of both applicants and BSR processes

*flexible approvals: using ‘approval with requirements’, where appropriate, to allow projects to start safely while work continues to resolve any distinct technical issues

*new guidance for external remediation with further supporting information and resources over the coming months, in turn aiming to help industry to overcome challenges in the Building Control process for existing buildings

Addressing older and complex cases

Around 40% of ongoing external remediation applications rely on Government funding. While late 2025 and early 2026 applications are showing an improved picture, a high percentage of complex and older external remediation cases are taking longer for decisions to be made.

Internal resource constraints and a high volume of older, non-compliant industry submissions are realising the BSR’s current caseload. To address this, the BSR plans to model its new external remediation multidisciplinary team on its successful Innovation Unit, which has been handling new-build projects since September 2025. This team will be supported by external remediation account managers. They will release capacity for technical regulatory leads by handling communications with applicants and addressing any portfolio concerns.

The BSR will also look to pilot the use of Building Control professionals from different classes to support case officers and regulatory leads. This will help to manage and significantly reduce workloads by allowing regulatory leads to focus on work that can only legally be carried out by them as direct employees of the BSR.

Streamlining the external remediation Building Control process

A new consistency process to be introduced will help to rapidly resolve any technical disputes between the multidisciplinary team and applicants. Further, the BSR is moving away from only written communications towards increased direct engagement with applicants, which directly reflects feedback from industry. This includes initial meetings for more complex projects and encouraging direct contact between the multidisciplinary team and applicants to clarify issues faster.

To manage the flow of work, the BSR will develop and publish a clear external remediation prioritisation structure. This will help to address frustration among those applicants who are unsure of where they sit in the assessment process.

Incomplete applications cause a significant portion of delays as they often lack basic technical information or the documentation required by law. This includes:

*insufficient evidence of fire-resistant properties for replacement cladding and related materials (for example, membranes), including assurance that products are available on the market that fulfil the required design or performance specifications

*lack of structural loading calculations (this includes wind loading, load transfer methods and confirmation that the building can support the new cladding design)

*insufficient explanation or evidence for cavity ventilation provision in external walls to prevent moisture build-up that could damage building fabric

*incomplete demonstration of thermal performance (ie U-values) of the new cladding system

Non-technical reasons

Other major non-technical reasons for delays include:

*incomplete design information: relying on statements of future intent, for example, “design details will follow later”, instead of finalised evidence

*unsupported ‘non-worsening’ claims: failing to provide comparative analysis demonstrating that standards will not be reduced

*poorly organised documents: failing to use clear folder structures, indexes or ensuring documents link up correctly

*retained combustibles: ambiguity regarding the extent of retained combustibles is a frequent cause for failure

To address application issues, the BSR has published initial external remediation-driven guidance. The guidance has benefits across all work to existing HRBs. The BSR will publish further improved feedback, resources and support targeted at these applicants over the coming months. This will include advice for applicants on unique challenges such as non-worsening provisions, gaps in existing HRB information and thermal performance.

The BSR is also working on enhancements to ‘digital visibility’, giving applicants the ability to track their application’s progress once submitted.

The BSR is also planning to improve data sharing with organisations managing Government funds, such as Homes England, to better track funding pipelines.

By December this year, the BSR is aiming to reduce average decision times for remediation applications to less than 12 weeks, with an aim to achieve approval rates of over 65%. This is still above the statutory milestone of eight weeks, but will be a major improvement on turnaround times for remediation applications.

Targeted package of measures

Lord Roe, chair of the Board at the BSR, said: “We continue to accelerate our decision-making for new-build applications, speeding up approvals for new-build and external remediation projects and increasing the supply of safe new and existing homes through the recent changes we’ve made to our processes.”

Lord Roe continued: “However, we recognise current determination times for remediation cases are falling short of statutory targets. This plan represents a targeted and achievable package of measures to reset the system and clear older legacy remediation cases. By doing so, and then focusing on more recent applications, we can ensure high-rise residents see essential safety improvements they deserve without any unnecessary or further delays.”

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO of the BSR, stated: “As we enter an important new chapter as a standalone regulator, our focus is on strengthening safety, rebuilding trust and supportively collaborating with industry. Collectively, these measures will ensure current and future remediation applications can proceed as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Pugsley added: “By launching a dedicated multidisciplinary team and introducing account managers, we are dramatically increasing our capacity to make faster decisions. Speed cannot come at the cost of safety. We will also publish further specific guidance and support to help industry submit higher-quality applications, thereby ensuring that thousands of residents can feel safe – and are safe – in their high-rise homes.”

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

Delivered in partnership with the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the joint UK Pavilion will highlight the strength of UK expertise across both fire safety and security, reinforcing the increasing convergence of these critical systems within modern buildings.

Co-located with Melbourne Build Expo and the InstallerSHOW Melbourne, the gathering provides a major international platform for showcasing innovation, collaboration and Best Practice across the built environment.

The FIA’s involvement reflects its ongoing commitment to promote UK fire safety excellence on the global stage. The UK is currently ranked third worldwide for fire safety exports, with manufacturers and service providers recognised for their quality, innovation and adherence to high standards.

Central hub

The UK Pavilion will act as a central hub for visitors looking to explore how integrated fire and security solutions are evolving. As buildings become more connected, the alignment between fire detection, life safety and electronic security systems is playing an increasingly vital role in protecting people, property and assets.

Chris Tilley, head of commercial at the FIA, commented: “The Fire Industry Association is proud to support the UK Pavilion at The Fire Safety Event Australia in Melbourne as part of our global partnership with Nineteen Group and an ongoing commitment to champion UK fire safety expertise on the global stage.”

The FIA and the BSIA have been long-standing partners of the European editions of The Fire Safety Event and The Security Event. Their joint involvement in Australia marks an important step forward in extending this successful collaboration into new international markets.

*Further information is available online at www.fia.uk.com

The series of qualifications includes the Level 3 Award in Fire Risk Assessment, the Level 3 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment and the Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment, each of them suited to different levels of experience ranging from new entrants to fire safety through to highly experienced professionals working in complex environments.

Successful candidates of the Level 3 and Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment will also gain access to the IFE’s Fire Risk Register and meet the academic requirements for the Technician (TIFireE) membership grade.

The IFE will formally announce the qualifications at The Fire Safety Event 2026, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 28-30 April. Delegates can meet with members of the IFE’s team on Stand A90 in Hall 4 to gain further information about the qualifications.

The second day of the show will feature IFE CEO Steve Hamm and IFE member and education services director Jo Tedd in the Compliance Theatre. They are due to explore professional standards and how the IFE’s qualifications support the next phase of regulatory change.

Critical time

Speaking in advance of The Fire Safety Event, Steve Hamm said: “Our new fire risk assessment qualifications have been carefully developed by the IFE and our team of fire risk assessment and fire safety specialists from across the private and public sectors.”

Hamm continued: “These qualifications launch at a critical time and support the BS 8674 tiered framework – Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced – ensuring that assessors demonstrate the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to meet nationally recognised competency benchmarks.”

Further, Hamm noted: “The qualifications form the latest addition to the IFE’s online examination suite, which has been developed over the past two years. This forward-thinking approach ensures greater flexibility and inclusivity, enabling candidates across the globe to complete their qualifications at a time and place that suits them. By removing barriers to access, the IFE is making professional development more convenient, equitable and future-ready.”

Raising standards

David Escudier, chair of the IFE’s Education Panel, added: “Clear and recognised qualifications are essential for maintaining trust and raising standards across the sector. The IFE’s new fire risk assessment examinations provide a much-needed pathway that supports both individual development and the wider profession.”

The qualifications will launch in the IFE’s October 2026 examination session. IFE examinations adopt a self-study delivery model, providing candidates with a flexible approach to progress at their own pace, in turn making it easier for both newcomers and experienced professionals to build the required knowledge and understanding alongside their existing roles and responsibilities.

*Bookings for the October session open on 1 June 2. For further information visit www.ife.org.uk/qualifications