New Fire Safety Proposals For Responsible Persons

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13 November 2026

Organisations could be given a simpler and more reliable way to identify competent fire safety providers and demonstrate their due diligence under new proposals put forward by three leading UK fire safety bodies.

BAFE, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) are calling on the Government to make independent third-party certification the required means of verifying fire safety competence and to establish a single, authoritative register of appropriately certificated providers.

The recommendations are set out in a new report, The Fire Safety Competence Gap, which reveals that while many organisations recognise the importance of their legal fire safety responsibilities, they remain uncertain about how to establish the competence of the professionals they appoint.

The research found that 93% of decision-makers believe focus and action around fire safety have increased, while 83% believe third-party certification should be the standard route to demonstrating fire risk assessor competence.

The research reveals a significant gap between these positive attitudes towards fire safety and the ability of organisations to fulfil their responsibilities in practice. Although 85% of Responsible Persons claim to be fully aware of their legal responsibilities, only 55% correctly identified checking the competence of their fire risk assessor as one of those obligations. Furthermore, 73% of decision-makers do not know who their fire safety supplier is certificated by, whether they hold certification at all, or use an uncertificated supplier.

The report highlights that while the Gas Safe Register allows homeowners to check an engineer’s registration, those responsible for fire safety in public buildings have no equivalent means of identifying competent providers.

Certification by a UKAS-accredited third-party certification body provides independent assessment against recognised standards, supported by ongoing monitoring. A single, authoritative register would make that assurance easier to access, reducing the time and effort involved in checking suppliers and providing a clearer basis for demonstrating that appropriate steps have been taken when appointing them.

The Fire Safety Competence Gap report is based on independent research commissioned jointly by BAFE and NSI and conducted by Sapio Research among UK decision-makers with responsibility for, or influence over, fire safety procurement.

Dr Justin Maltby-Smith, Group CEO of BAFE Holdings, said: “Fire safety is becoming an operational priority for many organisations but the ability to identify and verify competent providers is compromised by the lack of a single, authoritative register. They have heeded the lessons of Grenfell and now we are calling on the Government to help them complete the journey.”

Richard Fogelman, CEO of the NSI, said: “Knowing you need a competent provider and knowing how to check they are competent are two different things. Independent third-party certification gives buyers assurance, and a single register would make it easier to find a competent provider and demonstrate that appropriate checks have been made.”

Martin Watson, interim CEO of the FIA, said: “Those responsible for protecting people and buildings need a clear and trusted way of knowing that the professionals they appoint have the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to undertake safety critical work.

Watson added: “Independent verification would strengthen accountability across the industry and, most importantly, help ensure that competent professionals are carrying out work on which people’s safety depends.”

Picture: An image of the front cover of the Fire Safety Competence Gap report by BAFE, FIA and NSI.

Article written by Dave Mapps | Published 13 November 2026

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