Summary
Tetra Consulting is an independently owned risk management company providing consultancy, assessment and training services in health and safety, fire safety, asbestos, water hygiene, working at height and construction safety. Tetra’s mission is to support and educate companies in safety risk management and compliance, so to better position themselves in the market, they enrolled 30 employees on the FPA’s Level 3 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment qualification, with some also progressing to the Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment; both of which are accredited by ABBE.
Challenges
As the Health, Safety, and Fire Operations Director at Tetra, Robert McCall Taylor explains that being a sought-after risk management company requires a team of competent experts who have been professionally trained in their fields to meet the needs of Tetra’s clientele who stretch multiple disciplines and have high expectations for premium quality and service.
Tetra admits that it was restricted by its reliance on a core number of qualified people who could work on certain client accounts which demand a minimum qualification criteria, creating a potential bottleneck that could inhibit its ability to meet clients’ needs in the short term, and overall growth in the longer term. Tetra currently employs 36 fire risk assessors, and Robert believes that by investing in its people, the company can boost its standing in a highly competitive market, where the demand for risk assessments on certain buildings is at an all-time high. Ultimately, the company’s goal is to make its team better qualified with a better understanding of the fire safety risks so they can offer a better service to clients.
Robert says: “Our vision is to be the risk management consultants of choice for our clients. We believe that by investing in the continual professional development of our fire risk assessors, we’re increasing our resilience and competitive edge. I want to upskill my staff so they can work with their own autonomy. I’m an ex-fire officer, so from my perspective all fire risk assessors should be qualified to Level 3 as a minimum. That should stand us in good stead in the market, but by investing in our people we are building loyalty and trust across our business too.”
How the FPA helped
The FPA offers a wide range of reputable fire safety training courses delivered by industry experts including the Level 3 Fire Risk Assessment qualification which provides learners with the knowledge suitable for fire risk assessors defined as a ‘competent person’ by the UK Government’s Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and related regulations.
For Tetra, the FPA was a logical choice when it came to choosing a training provider as the qualification scheme enables in-house learning as well as progression to the Level 4 dependent on the individual’s longer-term aspirations. Additionally, the qualifications offer a stepping stone to being recognised on fire risk registers such as through the IFSM and the IFE, which showcase high competency and professionalism.
Robert adds: “I’ve done a lot of work with the FPA over the years, so it made sense to enrol our consultants on their qualification scheme given its reputation in the industry. We have a good ongoing relationship with the FPA – there is a lot of two-way communication, which is the key to success, hence why we’ve signed up a second and third cohort of our consultants to the Level 3. There is no loss in momentum for our team, who work busy schedules where it can be difficult to juggle site visits with training. We’re driving it from our end, and the FPA are driving us.”
Results and future plans
As a result of completing the training, Tetra’s fire risk assessors have been able to use their newly acquired qualifications and knowledge, along with on-site experience, to produce more comprehensive reports for their clients and work in a more efficient manner.
Robert comments: “Being able to demonstrate in a tender process that we have qualified, competent people makes us stand out. When clients pay for our services, they pay for quality and as a company we thrive on that, so we’ve invested in delivering on it. The feedback from our staff has been tremendous, and we’ve really seen a difference in the level of reports our consultants can now produce. They are so much more confident in their knowledge, especially when it comes to assessing high-rise buildings.”
Satinder Chagar BSc (Hons) Grad IOSH MIIRSM MIFSM DipFD FSIDip, one of the first consultants at Tetra to enrol on the Level 3 course says: “I am privileged to work for Tetra Consulting Ltd who actively encourage continuous development of all their consultants to help us further ourselves and ensure we are suitably competent and proficient in our abilities to carry out our day-to-day projects.
“The pre-course communication and materials were excellent and enabled to me to do some research in advance. The course was delivered by an industry professional with in-depth knowledge and practical understanding of the requirements for fire safety and its application to a fire risk assessor. Since completing the qualification, I am more confident carrying out fire risk assessments on complex buildings and businesses. I would recommend this course to anyone conducting fire risk assessments.”
Head of Training at the FPA, Kelly Donoghue says: “Our working relationship with Tetra has been very successful as we have a shared desire to prioritise fire safety excellence. The FPA collaborates with valued stakeholders to create powerful alliances focused on enhancing fire safety standards in the industry and our commitment to improvement through these collaborations illuminates the path towards a future where fire safety standards are not just met, but exceeded.”
Find out more about the FPA’s fire risk assessment qualifications.