ECS has announced the development of an industry-led standard and issue of an ECS card for Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) Technical Auditors.
The FESS Technical Auditor ECS card is for auditors that have met both the technical competencies (such as FESS or Electrical gold card requirements at Level 3 apprenticeship, vocational qualification or equivalent) and industry standard for auditors’ qualifications or certifications.
The FESS Technical Auditor card shows good quality standard applied to all individual roles, including those who are responsible for confirming standards are being adhered to via third-party certification schemes.
The requirements for ECS FESS Technical Auditor are as follows:
• Auditor qualification or certification, such as IRCA Auditor
• Sector qualifications, such as FESS apprenticeship or Experienced Worker Assessment
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience
• Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development (CPD)
• Health, safety, and environmental awareness
This development was driven by industry need to ensure those people undertaking technical auditing roles are themselves qualified and competent and has already been championed by third party certification bodies such as SSAIB and by specialist fire and security training providers such as Zzeus Training.
SSAIB – the leading technical certification body for organisations providing security systems and services, fire detection and alarm systems – will require all its Auditors to hold a FESS Technical Auditor ECS card to demonstrate that they have met both sector technical competencies and national auditor requirements. The move represents a huge step forward addressing Dame Judith Hackett’s concern that “everyone needs to be qualified and competent in their field of work.”
Trevor Jenks, SSAIB Training Manager, explained “It has always been a concern that in the fire and security systems sector many people are unqualified and have not had the opportunity to undertake relevant training, qualification, or certification in their role to be able to prove competence against the sectors’ FESS standard. This is true not only for those installing, maintaining, and commissioning fire and security systems, but also for those in supporting teaching and training roles, as well as those carrying out third party technical audits. It is not good enough to rely on the third-party certification of the enterprise or organisation alone. We need to consider the competence of all individuals within that organisation as well. At SSAIB, we undertake technical audits to confirm both organisational and individual compliance to the standards. This is reflected in the skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours of all our technical auditors who now will hold the FESS technical auditor card as confirmation of their competence carrying out this highly valued technical auditing role. We are pleased to see ECS recognise this crucial occupation within its certification scheme which already allows quick and easily evidence of individual competence within the third-party auditing process when required. We are proud to be a driving force in raising the competence bar within our sector and to lead, by example, in maintaining the highest professional and technical standards to which we adhere.”
Andy Reakes, Director of Growth and Development at JIB & ECS, said: “The FESS Technical Auditor ECS card is a vital addition to the suite of ECS cards aimed at raising competence and improving industry standards. It is great to see industry coming together to collectively drive forward the competence agenda and this represents a new area for certification which will only help to raise the bar further, providing a safer built environment for all.
Dr Tom Brookes, Chair of the Fire and Security Association (FSA), MD of Lindum Fire Services, and MD of Zzeus Training has also been certifying his staff against this standard. “At Zzeus Training, we are ensuring all our staff have the relevant qualifications, training, and assessment for their various roles. I wanted Zzeus to be at the forefront of this development and have been ensuring whether it is technical, assessment or auditing qualifications, my team is up to date with the latest standards, and all have ECS cards to demonstrate the standard which they have achieved as part of our quality assurance processes.
This card also addresses the age-old problem of ‘Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?’ or ‘Who watches the watchers?’. The new requirements for FESS within ECS have resulted in competency standards continuing in an upward trajectory, with ECS card recognition successfully promoting higher standards and skills, advancing the standards of professionalism and competence in the sector.”
For full information on the qualification requirements for a FESS Technical Auditor ECS card visit the ECS website here: FESS Auditor
The SSAIB – The Inspectorate for the Professional is the UK's and Ireland’s most highly credible and valued third-party certification body certificating over 2000 firms for a range of services in the security, safety, and fire safety industries. For over 25 years SSAIB has been protecting businesses and homeowners by providing certification through its highly trained, team of industry experts. For more information visit: www.ssaib.org