NSI FIRE SCHEMES John Davidson Fire Schemes Manager
WHY? • WHY does the END USER require TPC fire schemes? • WHY do companies require TPC fire schemes?
A Brave New World 01 October 2006
A Brave New World Fire Precautions Act 1971
A Brave New World Fire Certificates
A Brave New World England & Wales Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety ) Order 2005
Fire Safety Order • Applies to virtually all non-domestic buildings • An organisation must appoint a “Responsible Person” (usually the employer NOT an individual)
Fire Safety Order Requires that: “…the premises are, to the extent that is appropriate, equipped with fire-fighting equipment and with fire detectors and alarms.”
Fire Safety Order Requires that: “…equipment & devices provided are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”
Fire Safety Order Imposes a duty to ensure that the aforementioned actions are carried out by COMPETENT people.
Fire Safety Order FSO – Article 5(4): “Where a person has, by virtue of any contract or tenancy, an obligation of any extent in relation to — • (a) the maintenance or repair of any premises, including anything in or on premises ; or • (b) the safety of any premises , that person is to be treated, for the purposes of paragraph (3), as being a person who has control of the premises to the extent that his obligation so extends.
Could This Be You? A former retained firefighter who failed to maintain a fire alarm in a care home has been fined £11,000 including costs. Christopher Morris, 56, appeared before Manchester Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to two separate offences. He was fined £2,500 for each offence and £6,000 in costs for failing to maintain a fire alarm system at a care home in Trafford, Manchester to a recognised standard and failing to inform the owners of the home of the deficiencies in the system. The court heard how Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service attended a fire incident at a care home in Trafford in May 2009. An elderly resident died following the blaze.
Could This Be You? The examination report revealed that the system was estimated to have been installed during the late 1980s or early 1990s and that a number of issues were discovered within the panel that demonstrated poor practice remedial work had been carried out at some time during its lifetime. This included: • A blown fuse over-ridden with a piece of wire • An electronic component had been suspended between two terminal bocks instead of being attached to the circuit board • An alarm silence/fault warning buzzer was missing from the circuit board • The fault warning light on the front face of the panel had been almost covered by paint
Could This Be You? Christopher Morris, an electrician who had taken over the maintenance of the system in 2006, had issued several annual certificates of worthiness to the owner of the home, stating the system was 100%. During an interview under caution, Morris initially claimed that although the system was old it complied with the relevant British Standard. However, when he was challenged about the poor repair issues and shown the specialist’s photographs he admitted that he was not aware of them.
How To Prove Competency? Approved Document B (Fire Safety): Section 1.23 – “Third party certification schemes are an effective means of providing the fullest possible assurances, offering a level of quality, reliability & safety.”
How To Prove Competency? • “New fire precautions should be installed by a competent person ….existing equipment, …, such as fire alarms, …must be kept in effective working order,… • Where contractors are used, third party certification is one method where a reasonable assurance of quality of work and competence can be achieved” CLG Fire Safety Risk Assessment Guide Offices and Shops [3.4.6]
BAFE & TPCBs BAFE TPC TPCB Scheme Scheme SP101 NSI NSI Fire Gold BAFE NSI Fire Silver SP 203 NSI
Schemes Available BAFE SP203 Scheme: • SP 203-1 - Fire Detection & Alarm Systems • SP 203-3 - Fixed Gaseous Fire Suppression Systems
Schemes Available BAFE SP203 Scheme: • SP 203-4 - Emergency Lighting Systems
SP203-1 Design, Installation, Commissioning & Maintenance of Fire Detection & Alarm Systems Applicable standards: BS 5839-1:2013 (Non-domestic premises) BS 5839-6:2013 (Domestic premises) HTM 05-03(B) (NHS Healthcare Premises) BS 6266:2011 (Electronic Equipment Installations)
SP203-3 Design, Installation, Commissioning & Maintenance of Fixed Gaseous Fire Suppression Systems Applicable standards: BS EN 15004-1:2008 (plus extinguishing agent part) BS 7273-1:2006 (covers actuation requirements) BS 6266:2011 (Electronic Equipment Installations)
SP203-4 Design, Installation, Commissioning & Maintenance of Emergency Lighting Systems Applicable standards: BS 5266-1:2011 (plus BS EN 1838:2013 & BS 5266-8)
Schemes Available BAFE SP101 Scheme: Contract maintenance of portable fire extinguishers (NSI Fire Gold ONLY) Applicable standards: BS 5306-3:2009 BS 5306-8:2012
Schemes Available BAFE SP205 Scheme: Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Applicable standards: BS 9999 Approved Document ”B” CLG Guides et al
Training Requirements SP203-1(FD&A) • Nominated Designer(s) & Senior Commissioning Engineers FIA Units 1,2, &3 or equivalent level of knowledge (NSI provides training equivalent to FIA Unit 1)
Training Requirements SP203-1(FD&A) • Installation, Commissioning & Service Engineers FIA Unit 1 or equivalent level of knowledge (NSI provides training equivalent to FIA Unit 1)
Training Requirements SP203-3(FES) • As SP203-1 plus training on gaseous systems design and extinguishing agents
Training Requirements SP203-4(ELS) • FIA ICEL Competent Engineers Course or equivalent • Relevant electrical qualifications (e.g. C & G 2382, C&G 2394)
Training Requirements SP101 (PFE) • FIA/IFEDA PFE Maintenance Technicians Course (plus 3 year refresher where applicable)
Training Requirements SP205-1 • Competency in accordance with requirements of the “Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors” document.
Route to Certification • Complete NSI application documentation (short form if already NSI approved) • Amend QMS/BOM to meet requirements of FSQS 121 (if Gold) and relevant BAFE Scheme document • Submit amended QMS/BOM to NSI for review
Route to Certification Initial Certification Audit: • 1 - 2 days for single module • 2 - 3 days for two or more modules • Audits include assessment of office processes plus two site inspections.
Surveillance Audits • Companies receive one additional fire technical day per year • Additional technical days required if more scopes added (e.g. Emergency Lighting)
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