Update from FIA and Home Office – Fire Safety Works and Maintenance
We would like to reassure our customers that we are continuing to support buildings and employees across the UK with fire protection critical works and maintenance. Please do not ignore your fire maintenance during this time, your business and staff could depend on your fire safety equipment working correctly. Now is a good time to get your fire safety equipment and systems serviced for complete access with minimal disruption. As members of the Fire Industry Association, they have updated their website with some great advice for anyone involved with fire safety systems and equipment.
FIA CEO Ian Moore has been in discussions with the Home Office on this subject over the last few days. He states:
Monday 23rd March. 11:00am
“I have been inundated with calls and emails looking for clarity on this vital subject for our industry. Fire Engineers carry out a mission critical job to not only fix but maintain fire systems and products such as extinguishers, fire alarms systems etc. We have real first-hand knowledge and evidence of the dangerous and potentially deadly effects that a lack of maintenance on fire systems can lead to; I don’t have to mention the implications if we were to have a major fire incident as a result of the fire safety equipment not working correctly.
In addition, many of our members are the only suppliers to the fire and rescue services who need their equipment to do their job efficiently and safely. Maybe they are covered under the fire and rescue service “support staff” section of the Public Safety section – maybe clarification is required here? Nonetheless, the above statement is a good start, for which I thank the Home Office for clarification; however, the FIA will continue to push for recognition of fire safety-related workers as Key Workers in a number of other key areas to ensure we maintain public fire safety”.
Monday 23rd March. 12:00am
“Security & fire safety personnel can play a vital role at this time of national challenge. People working in these sectors who are essential to national infrastructure are “Key Workers” for the purposes of the Government’s guidance on COVID-19″
FIA CEO, Ian Moore has just been informed that James Brokenshire (Minister of State for Security at the Home Office) has extended the Key Worker status to all fire safety personnel actively working to improve public fire safety. Ian states “I hope this clarifies the position for our members which I know has been a major concern not only for the current position to do with the Coronavirus situation but also what could come next in the clampdown on unessential travel. A common-sense approach should be used on when to use the Key Worker status as there are many roles and situations that do not warrant its use.
