The Institute of Fire Safety Managers Incorporating Life Safety Managers (IFSM) has received a few queries asking if fire risk assessors and those linked with the fire industry are classed as ‘key workers.’
The Institute’s clear position is in supporting the Government and the main information and guidance for employees and employers is set out on the Governments website, including definitions of ‘key workers.’
Future of fire risk assessment
The Institute is not in a position to make individual judgements, but clearly, the people are all in the business of assessing risk and therefore that call has to be with oneself, and if fire life safety issues outweigh, in any single case, the threat to life from COVID - 19 then the judgment has to rest with the individual assessor and the call should be ‘is ones movement and task essential to support critical infrastructure?’
If not, IFSM Council advice is - do not travel, stay at home and support crucial national infrastructure in this way.
Rest assured, IFSM Council members are taking this ‘time out’ to work from their isolated positions on some critical details and papers which will define the future of fire risk assessment, fire risk assessor's competency and fire risk assessors themselves.
