Last month, BAFE said that the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown ‘will help in the continuation of the fire safety industry gaining access to buildings to perform essential fire safety work and maintenance’, and outlined that COVID-19 ‘is no excuse for disregarding fire safety responsibilities’.
In May it ‘strongly advise[d]’ that fire safety be ‘addressed as soon as possible as we ease out of coronavirus lockdown’, and that measures ‘are not overlooked or deferred further’. That same month, it recommended that companies with scheduled work and ongoing agreements should ‘remain in touch’ with clients on fire safety provisions during the COVID-19 pandemic
It has now given an update on its training courses, noting that in April it published information for its SP101 scheme’s registered companies on COVID-19, and the ‘multiple factors related’ to fire extinguisher technician requirements. Earlier this month (https://www.thefpa.co.uk/news/news/news_detail.bafe-resumes-assessments-and-exams.html), it resumed technician assessments and exam invigilation ‘where safe to do so’, and now ‘restrictions are beginning to ease’, its refresher, asbestos awareness and health and safety training ‘will now resume under normal conditions’.
The organisation added however that it will ‘continue to monitor the situation’, and is ‘prepared to review any mitigating factors why these requirements are unable to be met at this time’. Those with any reasons why a technician ‘may not be able to complete certain requirements’ should contact the company with ‘relevant information’, so that BAFE can review it.
Head of schemes Chris Auger commented: ‘All certification bodies continue to perform BAFE scheme assessments and this month BAFE has also resumed their normal fire extinguisher technician assessment procedures. BAFE must maintain SP101 requirements return to normal conditions to ensure knowledgeable fire extinguisher technicians continue to work in this field.
‘We understand there may still be extenuating circumstances with some of our SP101 registered companies and I will be prepared to review these on a case-by-case basis. We do not wish to make circumstances difficult for anybody at this time, but quality in fire safety must continue.’