In today’s building safety landscape, selecting a fire safety contractor has never been more important. The introduction of the Building Safety Act, increased scrutiny of fire safety standards and a growing focus on accountability have fundamentally changed expectations for those responsible for managing public buildings says the FIA
Whether overseeing schools, hospitals, social housing, offices or other public sector estates, Responsible Persons and procurement teams are expected to demonstrate that the contractors they appoint are competent to carry out critical fire safety work. It is no longer enough to simply award a contract based on cost or previous relationships; organisations must be able to show they have exercised due diligence when selecting suppliers.
The challenge, however, is that fire safety is a highly specialised industry. From fire detection and alarm systems to emergency lighting, portable extinguishers, fire doors, passive fire protection and fire risk assessments, each discipline requires specific technical expertise. Most procurement professionals are not fire safety specialists, making it difficult to judge whether a contractor genuinely has the knowledge, skills and experience required.
So how can organisations make informed decisions?
The answer lies in looking for independent evidence of competence.
Competence is more than a recommendation
Competence has become one of the defining themes of modern building safety legislation.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Responsible Persons have legal duties to ensure that fire precautions are appropriate and properly maintained. The Building Safety Act 2022 has reinforced this focus by placing greater emphasis on competence throughout the construction and building management sectors.
For public sector organisations, the implications are significant. If a fire safety system fails because it was poorly designed, incorrectly installed or inadequately maintained, the consequences can extend
far beyond financial loss. Enforcement action, legal liability, disruption to public services, reputational damage and, most importantly, risks to life can all follow.
Choosing a competent contractor is therefore not simply best practice – it is an essential part of meeting legal responsibilities and protecting building occupants.
Why experience alone isn’t enough
Many organisations understandably look for contractors with years of experience or positive references. While these remain valuable considerations, they should not be the sole basis for selection.
Experience does not necessarily demonstrate that a contractor continues to operate to recognised industry standards or that its quality systems are independently monitored.
Similarly, attractive pricing should never be viewed in isolation. A significantly lower quotation may reflect reduced investment in staff training, quality management or technical oversight.
Fire safety systems are expected to perform correctly when lives depend on them. The true cost of inadequate workmanship often only becomes apparent during an inspection – or worse, during an emergency.
The safest approach is to seek independent evidence that competence has been assessed objectively.
Understanding Third Party Certification
Third Party Certification (TPC) provides exactly that.
Rather than allowing companies to simply declare themselves competent, TPC requires an independent certification body to assess an organisation against an established certification scheme.
This assessment typically examines: technical competence; staff qualifications and training; installation and maintenance procedures; quality management systems; documentation and record keeping; and ongoing compliance with relevant standards.
Only organisations that successfully meet these requirements are awarded certification.
Importantly, certification is not permanent. Regular surveillance audits – typically every six months, ensure that standards continue to be maintained over time.
For clients, this provides reassurance that competence is continually monitored rather than assessed only once.
Why UKAS accreditation matters
When reviewing certification, it is important to understand who has issued it.
In the UK, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the Government-appointed national accreditation body responsible for assessing certification bodies against internationally recognised standards.
While anyone can establish a certification body or write a certification scheme, only UKAS-accredited certification bodies have demonstrated that they operate independently, competently and consistently.
This distinction gives purchasers confidence that certification has real value.
Before appointing a contractor, organisations should verify that: the certification body is UKAS accredited; the certification is current; the scope covers the work being commissioned; and the certification has not expired or been suspended.
Most certification bodies make this information available through online registers, making verification a straightforward part of the procurement process.
Different work requires different competence
One common misconception is that certification in one area automatically demonstrates competence in another.
In reality, fire safety covers numerous specialist disciplines, each requiring its own expertise.
Recognised Third Party Certification schemes exist for a wide range of services, including: fire detection and alarm systems; emergency lighting; portable fire extinguishers; fire risk assessments; fixed gaseous extinguishing systems; sprinkler systems; fire doors; and passive fire protection.
A contractor certified to maintain extinguishers should not automatically be assumed competent to install fire alarm systems or undertake fire risk assessments unless they hold certification for those activities as well.
Ensuring the contractor’s certification matches the scope of work is therefore an important part of supplier selection.
Certificates of Conformity provide additional assurance
Many Third-Party Certification schemes also require contractors to issue Certificates of Conformity once work has been completed.
These certificates provide documented evidence that installations or maintenance have been carried out in accordance with recognised certification requirements.
For building owners and Responsible Persons, they offer valuable evidence for Building Control, insurers, auditors and Fire and Rescue Services, while also supporting future maintenance and compliance records.
Maintaining accurate documentation throughout the life of a building is becoming increasingly important as expectations around the ‘golden thread’ of building information continue to develop.
Procurement that focuses on long-term value
Public sector procurement rightly seeks value for money. However, value should never be confused with selecting the lowest initial price.
Fire safety systems represent long-term investments that protect lives, assets and the continuity of essential public services. The costs associated with replacing poorly installed systems, rectifying defective work or responding to enforcement action can quickly outweigh any savings made during procurement.
A robust contractor selection process should therefore consider: Independent Third-Party Certification; technical competence; relevant experience; quality management arrangements; ongoing maintenance capability; references from comparable projects; and compliance with current British Standards.
Ultimately, choosing a fire safety contractor is about more than meeting a procurement requirement; it is about ensuring that those entrusted with protecting people and buildings can demonstrate the competence, quality and accountability that effective fire safety demands.
