BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) News

FireQual is pleased to announce its latest appointment to the Senior Management Team. Steve Skarratt, in their new position as Qualifications Manager, joins the organization from his former role as Head of Prevention and Protection Training at The Fire Service College. Throughout his career, Steve has been heavily involved in training and development including acting as Interim Head of Learning and Development at the College, and before that, Curriculum and Qualifications Manager at the Fire Pr...

Fire alarms are installed and work to save lives. These alarm systems work to detect early signs of fire and alerts occupants, allowing everyone in the building to evacuate the property and contact the emergency services. There is a wide variety of fire detection systems on the market, each can vary hugely in technology and what locations they are most suitable for. Here they are going to briefly go through how some fire alarm works which may help the users understand why some system are more s...

It is with a heavy heart that BAFE announces the passing of two friends and colleagues. Both, Peter Chilton and Dominic Cook passed away at the end of April 2022.  They both greatly assisted BAFE with fire extinguisher technician assessments/verification and exam invigilation as experts within their field. Peter Chilton Peter Chilton had more than 30 years of fire industry experience before working with BAFE, including 25 years with a fire extinguisher organization, Fire Protection Servi...

It is with a heavy heart that BAFE announces the passing of two friends and colleagues. Both, Peter Chilton and Dominic Cook passed away at the end of April 2022.  They both greatly assisted BAFE with fire extinguisher technician assessments/verification and exam invigilation as experts within their field. Peter Chilton Peter Chilton had more than 30 years of fire industry experience before working with BAFE, including 25 years with a fire extinguisher organization, Fire Protection Servi...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company for smart, healthy and sustainable building solutions, is welcoming the amendments to The Building Regulations 2010 Section 15, Paragraph 15.17, in relation to evacuation alert systems in high-rise residential buildings. The amendment states that new residential developments over 18 meters tall will have to incorporate an Evacuation Alert System in accordance with BS 8629 to help fire and rescue services inform residents of a change in evacuation...

BAFE and FireQual joint statement on the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire (14/06/2017). Both BAFE and FireQual remember the Grenfell Tower fire and on this day would like to pay respects to all affected individuals of this disastrous event. BAFE’s remit to define the competency of organizations working within the sector has a primary focus on life safety. While damage limitation to the building is also desired, mitigating risk to life is the key factor here. Building Saf...

Both BAFE and FireQual remember the Grenfell Tower fire and on this day would like to pay respects to all affected individuals of this disastrous event. In BAFE’s remit to define the competency of organizations working within the sector, this has a primary focus on life safety. Whilst damage limitation to the building is also desired, mitigating risk to life is the key factor here. Employing competent people Recent developments following the fire have been steps in the right direction....

In association with a building’s built-in passive fire resisting features, residential sprinkler systems have been demonstrated to be very effective at protecting lives from fire, both of the occupants and those attending. Their use has typically been prevalent where normal safety measures might be considered insufficient to assure the safety of occupants either due to their own special needs, or due to the specific challenges of the building such as its height, layout, or remoteness from...

FSM Awards 2022 acknowledges the former BAFE Chief Executive’s esteemed career. In April 2022, Western Business Media held the inaugural Fire and Security Matters Awards. The recipient of the first-ever FSM Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Stephen Adams, former Chief Executive of BAFE. Over Mr. Adams’ career, before joining BAFE, he accumulated wide commercial security and fire background. This included senior roles within BSIA, Thorn Fire and Security, and Managing Direc...

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) welcomes the Building Safety Act, which received Royal Assent. CIC and its membership of the professional bodies across the built environment have been liaising with officials at DLUCH (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) since the Grenfell tragedy in 2017. Recommendations CIC has provided input, representing our membership, into the Hackitt Review, the draft bill, and the Bill which has, amongst other things, sought to implement her re...

Third-Party Certification means that goods or services have been tested by an independent body and found to be compliant for the industry. But it doesn’t just stop there. The same goods or services are checked, and the business audited on an annual basis. Third-party certification A product has been third-party certified can be determined from the testers mark printed on it In this sense, third-party certification can be regarded as a consumer protection scheme. Certainly, in the Unite...

"The BAFE SP205 scheme provides a route in evidencing competency to deliver the vital service of Fire Risk Assessment," said Chris Auger, Director of Schemes. He adds, "We encourage registered organizations, specifically SP205 registered organizations, to provide your input to help greater understanding and steer decision making." Information provided by Office As users will be aware, there is considerable work underway to strengthen the building and fire safety regulatory systems, not least...

Testing and maintenance of fire alarm is mandatory under the fire safety order and also a requirement within BS5839-1 2017, the standard for fire detection and alarms in non-domestic buildings. Residents are obliged to complete testing on a regular basis, some of these checks can be complete in house by an appointed person. People should on a daily basis check the fire alarm control, with indicating equipment having a Green LED illuminated to show the panel is healthy & free of any fire or...

In research presented by BAFE and NAPIT, data collated over the decade (2010/2011-2020/2021) in England, Wales, and Scotland record an unsettling 424,464 dwelling fires. These fires resulted in almost 82,000 non-fatal casualties and close to 3,000 deaths. Issues with domestic smoke alarms In more recent statistics made available by Fire and Rescue Services nationwide, there is an ongoing issue with high failure rates or a complete absence of domestic smoke alarms. In England alone, during 2020...

Paul Wilkinson, the Chairman of Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association (IFEDA), has commented on behalf of the trade association, in support of the BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) campaign – ‘Don’t Just Specify, Verify’. Paul Wilkinson stated, “IFEDA has witnessed that there are companies operating across the industry claiming to have, for example, fire alarm expertise with over 20 years of experience. When checked, however, you fin...

Following a thorough recruitment drive, the BAFE Fire Safety Register is proud to announce the appointment of their new Managing Director, Dr. Justin Maltby-Smith CEng FIET CMgr FCMI. Since BAFE’s establishment in 1984, and subsequently going fully independent in 2009, the registration body continues to have a core role in establishing methods to evidence competency within the fire safety arena. With this comes to its significant responsibility of ensuring the BAFE portfolio of schemes av...

Following a thorough recruitment drive, the BAFE Fire Safety Register is proud to announce the appointment of their new Managing Director, Dr. Justin Maltby-Smith CEng FIET CMgr FCMI. Since BAFE’s establishment in 1984, and subsequently going fully independent in 2009, the registration body continues to have a core role in establishing methods to evidence competency within the fire safety arena. With this comes to its significant responsibility of ensuring the BAFE portfolio of schemes av...

Lewis Ramsay, Caretaker Manager/Board Member – BAFE, said, "BAFE fully supports any developments in helping younger people enter the fire and security sector. It is crucial the right skills, knowledge, expertise, and behavior are instilled from day one of working with life safety processes and systems." He adds, "We encourage all BAFE registered organizations based in Wales to complete this survey to establish evidence of employer interest to develop this further." specialist apprentices...

"BAFE fully supports any developments in helping younger people enter the fire and security sector. It is crucial the right skills, knowledge, expertise, and behavior are instilled from day one of working with life safety processes and systems." "We encourage all BAFE registered organizations based in Wales to complete this survey to establish evidence of employer interest to develop this further," said Lewis Ramsay, Caretaker Manager/Board Member – BAFE. specialist apprenticeships...

An update to all BAFE registered organizations and the wider fire safety industry. Recent weeks have seen a new Omicron variant of COVID-19 emerge and begin to spread across the UK. With this, the Government has re-introduced measures to mitigate this risk such as mask-wearing in shops and on all public transport.   BAFE is confident by now that the fire safety industry fully understands its position as a life safety, and therefore necessary, provision of service required to continue (whe...

An update to all BAFE registered organizations and the wider fire safety industry. Recent weeks have seen a new Omicron variant of COVID-19 emerge and begin to spread across the UK. With this, Government has re-introduced measures to mitigate this risk such as mask wearing in shops and on all public transport. Representing latest guidance BAFE is confident by now that all the fire safety industry fully understands their position as a life safety, and therefore necessary, provision of service...

BAFE continues to stress the importance of verifying appropriate UKAS-accredited third-party certification with growing industry support. 'Don’t just Specify, Verify' campaign As the nation moves towards stronger responsibility and accountability for fire safety measures, the BAFE Fire Safety Register reiterates their message on the significance of UKAS-accredited third-party certification. BAFE’s 'Don’t just Specify, Verify' campaign launched in March 2020 identifies the im...

BAFE continues to stress the importance of verifying appropriate UKAS accredited third-party certification with growing industry support. As the nation moves towards stronger responsibility and accountability for fire safety measures, the BAFE Fire Safety Register reiterates their message on the significance of UKAS accredited third-party certification. BAFE’s ‘Don’t just Specify, Verify’ campaign launched in March 2020 identifies the important second, and sometimes over...

After 12 successful years as BAFE’s CEO, and latterly as CEO and Director of FireQual, BAFE announces that Stephen Adams has stepped down from the business (with effect from 7th September 2021). Stephen joined BAFE in 2009, and oversaw the move into our current offices within the Fire Service College at Morton-in-Marsh, where he has been central to the development of the business and the respect it has within the UK fire market.  BAFE SP206 Kitchen Fire Protection Systems Stephen h...

BAFE Fire Safety Register has teamed up with building services membership scheme operator, NAPIT to offer a new competency scheme for organizations involved with Grade D fire alarm systems.  Two years in the making, the new scheme will assess the competency of organizations that provide design, installation, commissioning and maintenance services for BS 5839-6 Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. BAFE and NAPIT partner on new Competency Scheme This new comp...

Following an extensive development process over two years in the making, the BAFE Fire Safety Register and NAPIT are proud to announce a new Scheme to assess the competency of organizations that provide design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance services for BS 5839-6 Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. BAFE DS301 BAFE DS301 (For the Design, Installation, Commissioning, and Maintenance of Grade D Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Domestic Premis...

Following an extensive development process over two years in the making, the BAFE Fire Safety Register and NAPIT are proud to announce a new Scheme to assess the competency of organizations, who provide design, installation, commissioning and maintenance services for BS 5839-6 Grade D fire detection and fire alarm systems in domestic premises. BAFE DS301 Scheme BAFE DS301 (For the Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of Grade D Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Domestic P...

The UK’s national fire safety organization, the Fire Protection Association (FPA), is further developing its collaboration with UL, a global pioneer in safety science, to support fire testing in the UK by expanding testing and laboratory capacities at the FPA’s test laboratory in Blockley, Gloucestershire. UL is investing in the installation of fire-resistance test furnaces at the FPA’s test laboratory. As part of the collaboration, tests for fire resistance, which form the ba...

The UK’s national fire safety organization, the Fire Protection Association (FPA), is further developing its collaboration with UL, a global leader in safety science, to support fire testing in the UK by expanding testing and laboratory capacities at the FPA’s test laboratory in Blockley, Gloucestershire. UL is investing in the installation of fire-resistance test furnaces at the FPA’s test laboratory. As part of the collaboration, tests for fire resistance, which form the bas...

In the upcoming weeks, further restrictions regarding COVID safety may be reduced or completely removed following assessments by Governments across the nation. This poses important steps for fire safety service providers/contractors, including reviewing their own COVID-19 safety policies in the interest of employee and client safety.  BAFE would like to offer the following guidance considering the removal or reduction of restrictions: Continue to exercise a risk-based approach prior to...