Gardiner to stage fire training seminars for CPD

(01/12/2005)

Fire legislation is moving into even greater focus for the construction industry following a series of reforms, notably with the introduction in April 2006 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, which will transfer the onus from the licensing authorities to the Responsible Person, i.e. the person who owns the premises or business or the person with control over the premises. The Fire Brigades are under strict instructions to enforce the legislation through considerable fines for non-compliance, which can be added to for every day until compliance is reached.

The CPD Certification Service has invited Gardiner Security to organise an ongoing series of nationally run seminars backed by the BSi, BFPSA and BAFE. A panel of 10 manufacturers expert in their fields will teach architects, surveyors and other construction specifiers on the key issues, products and solutions required to comply with legislation such as DDA and False Alarm Management. Each two-day roadshow, held at regional centres around the UK, will feature eight seminars comprising 24 presentations.

Under the terms of CPD (Continuous Professional Development), members must complete at least 35 hours of approved training in a year. Courses are of such high quality as to make attendance a major priority to delegates – no fewer than 390 of the 470 booked into a London seminar just after the 7 July bombings still made it in to the venue.

“This is a very important development and real recognition of our unique position in the fire security industry,” said Gardiner Security's Fire Division manager Peter Holmes. “It’s been in negotiation and development from when I attended a CPD Certification Service course, after which CPD has to check and approve the content of every presentation to ensure it meets with their standards. Like ourselves, CPD sees this as a valuable addition to its curriculum and is mailing all its members with details of the roadshows.

In addition, Gardiner's Fire Division is launching a Proof of Competence Roadmap, which will see its Regional Fire Sales Managers establish all the procedures necessary for installing companies to comply with the new legislation.

In April 2005, the Chief Fire Officers Association policy called for companies to be certified to the BAFE SP203 third party certification scheme, and the Fire Safety Order coming into effect in April 2006 calls not only for risk assessments to be carried out by competent personnel, but for written risk assessments to be presented should a company employ more than five employees.

Gardiner's Proof of Competence Roadmap will ensure that customers are properly qualified through a series of BFPSA training seminars and key manufacturer product training courses, leading on to an application for BAFE SP203 third party certification through BSi. Successfully audited companies will qualify to carry the BSi kite mark, giving them ultimate recognition in the industry.

“This is a highly important initiative with the BSi, the BFPSA and BAFE,” said Peter Holmes. “BS 5839 calls for all fire work to be carried out by competent persons, defined as those with the necessary training and experience and access to the requisite tools, equipment and information, and capable of carrying out a defined task. This applies to every company and employee working in the fire industry, from designers, installers to commissioning and maintenance engineers. There are considerable potential fines and even prison sentences for those who fail to comply with the Fire Safety Order, as a major Government publicity campaign will stress from January onwards. But with our Roadmap, companies will be in the best hands around.”

Gardiner Security has now passed the 1000 mark of certificates issued to installers attending its BFPSA training courses.

“Starting only two years ago, Gardiner courses make up a major and increasing part of BFPSA certificates,” said its training officer Trevor Boxer. “Gardiner courses must account for half the delegates I have trained since then, and with that number set to double again in 2006, we are taking on new trainers to cope with demand.

Related topics:  Fire, Health & Safety   Security industry 

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