BAFE Fire Safety Register
BAFE is the independent, third party certification registration body for the fire protection industry. It develops schemes for delivery by UKAS-accredited certification bodies, to assess companies to recognised standards and supports specifiers and property managers to ensure that they get quality fire protection to match their risks.
BAFE is the independent register of quality fire safety service providers.
These providers are Third Party Certified in specific areas of fire safety ensuring quality and competence to help meet your obligations.
BAFE develops schemes, which are sets of competency criteria supporting appropriate standards, that UKAS Accredited Certification Bodies use to assess companies providing specific fire safety services. Companies can be assessed for their competency providing fire risk assessments, fire alarm services, emergency lighting, portable fire extinguisher maintenance and more (please see BAFE website for further details www.bafe.org.uk). New schemes to help keep any risks manageable are being developed based on industry/end user demand and available standards.
BAFE Schemes
If you are specifying the Maintenance of Portable Extinguishers, look for companies accredited to BAFE Scheme SP101/ST104. Companies are certificated to ISO9001 and all technicians are assessed to BAFE standards.
For Fire Alarm Systems, companies should hold BAFE SP203-1 scheme approval, the key measure of competence for quality fire alarm companies.
Our Emergency Lighting scheme (SP203-4), is modular and sets out staff competence, equipment and quality criteria to be met.
BAFE has also developed a scheme for companies who carry out Life Safety Fire Risk Assessments (SP205). This was launched in May 2012 and will be available from November 2012.
BAFE currently operate schemes for Third Party Certification in the following areas:
- Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment (BAFE Scheme No. SP205)
Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) – A crucial step in performing your duties reducing risk as the appointed person responsible for fire safety within a building.
- Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (BAFE Scheme No. SP203-1)
Fire alarm system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance – Vital to ensure early fire detection, safe evacuation and quick action.
- Competency of Portable Fire Extinguisher Organisations and Technicians (BAFE Scheme No. SP101)
Fire extinguisher maintenance/servicing in addition to sourcing, commissioning and siting the right extinguishers for your building and use of rooms – Important in the event of a small, controllable fire avoiding any risk of escalation to a larger fire that could endanger lives.
- Emergency Lighting Systems (BAFE Scheme No. SP203-4)
Emergency lighting system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance – Required to provide a clear, safe exit from a building in any emergency.
Fixed Gaseous Fire Extinguishing Systems (BAFE Scheme No. SP203-3)
- Fixed gaseous fire extinguishing system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance – Providing a comprehensive fire safety solution for such places as server rooms and other locations where required.
- Kitchen Fire Protection Systems (BAFE Scheme No. SP206)
Kitchen fire protection system (kitchen suppression/extinguishing systems) design, installation, commissioning, recharge and maintenance – Paramount in the event of a kitchen equipment-based fire to suppress and extinguish as safely and risk free as possible.
+ More competency schemes available and are being developed (see BAFE website for further information www.bafe.org.uk)
Using one of the more than 900 BAFE-registered companies ensures that you have taken the first steps to ensuring that your services will be provided to national, independently certificated standards.