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Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the recommendations of the Hackitt Review, the Building Safety Act introduced a new regulatory framework supported by an extensive programme of secondary legislation. These reforms have fundamentally reshaped how competence is viewed across the construction industry and have led to the establishment of the Building Safety Regulator, responsible for overseeing building safety and driving improvements in both individual competence and organisational capability.
Alongside these legislative changes, third-party certification bodies such as BM TRADA have updated and expanded their fire certification schemes, including changes associated with the transition to the EN 13501 fire classification system. Whilst these updates primarily relate to certification schemes and product classifications, they have prompted many organisations to review how they evidence the competence of installers, supervisors and managers involved in passive fire protection.
The result is a significant cultural shift. Increasingly, clients, principal contractors, certification bodies and regulators expect organisations to demonstrate that individuals have the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (KSEB) to undertake their role safely and competently. Equally important is an organisation’s ability to maintain robust systems, supervision, quality assurance and ongoing competence management.
For many employers, this has raised important questions:
There is no single qualification or training course that satisfies every requirement. Instead, organisations should consider competence as a combination of: Occupational qualifications where appropriate. Product and manufacturer-specific training. Practical experience.Supervision and mentoring. Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Internal competency assessments. Quality assurance and documented evidence
One of the biggest changes following the Building Safety Act is the move away from relying solely on years of experience. Increasingly, organisations are expected to demonstrate how competence has been assessed, maintained and evidenced throughout the workforce.
This doesn’t necessarily mean retraining experienced people. It means understanding what evidence already exists, identifying any gaps and ensuring those gaps can be justified if challenged by clients, auditors or regulators.
At Workforce Skills Support, we help organisations navigate these evolving competence requirements by identifying the most appropriate solutions for their workforce. Rather than assuming an individual needs another qualification, we work with employers to understand the specific competency requirements of their role, client, certification body or principal contractor before recommending the most suitable pathway.
Where occupational qualifications are the appropriate method of demonstrating competence, we deliver nationally recognised qualifications including:
Following the Building Safety Act, the Grenfell Inquiry and wider construction product reforms, the passive fire industry has moved towards a much greater focus on demonstrating competence rather than simply claiming experience.
At the same time, BM TRADA has introduced new and updated Q-Mark fire certification schemes to support the transition to the EN 13501-2 classification system.
This has prompted many certified companies to review:
This does not automatically mean everyone needs another NVQ.
Our role is to establish exactly what evidence is missing before recommending a solution.
The focus has shifted from:
“I’ve done this for years.”
to
“Can you prove your competence?”
Employers increasingly need documented evidence that individuals are competent to undertake passive fire work.
BM TRADA has introduced new fire certification schemes to support the transition to EN 13501-2 fire classification.
These changes are mainly aimed at:
However, they are also causing certified contractors to review the competency evidence held for installers, supervisors and managers.
This means more companies are asking questions about qualifications and competence.
| Role | Typical Evidence Expected | Could WSS Help? |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Door Installer | Occupational competence, practical experience, manufacturer training, installation records | ✔ Fire Door Installation NVQ (where appropriate) |
| Fire Door Maintenance Operative | Maintenance competence, inspection knowledge, practical evidence | ✔ Fire Door Maintenance NVQ |
| Fire Stopping Installer | Installation competence, system knowledge, practical evidence | ✔ Fire Stopping NVQ |
| Passive Fire Supervisor | Supervisory competence, quality control, leadership | ✔ Level 3 Occupational Work Supervision / Level 4 Site Supervision (role dependent) |
| Passive Fire Manager | Competency management, compliance, auditing | ✔ Level 6 Construction Site Management or appropriate management qualification |
| Quality Assurance | Quality Inspections / Compliance | L6 NVQ in site Inspection |
The examples above are illustrative only. The most appropriate evidence of competence will depend on the certification scheme, products being installed, client requirements, the individual’s responsibilities and existing qualifications.
The changes introduced through the Building Safety Act, evolving certification schemes and increased client scrutiny have left many organisations asking the same questions:
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
Different certification bodies, principal contractors, clients and projects may expect different forms of evidence depending on the role being undertaken.
Speak to one of our advisors today for a no-obligation competency review, and we’ll help you identify the most appropriate evidence of competence for your workforce.