SSAIB are delighted to officially announce that we have further added to our wide array of certification schemes with BAFE SP203-4 Emergency Lighting Systems.
This scheme – created by the British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE) – provides competency for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of emergency lighting systems. The scheme has been split into these four modules to ensure that companies only gain registration for the modules for which they are competent to work.
As the show’s official installer partner, the leading certification body for the fire and security industries had initially planned to unveil our latest addition to our scope of certification at IFSEC/FIREX in June 2020 – having first been able to offer the scheme in May 2020. However, this unveiling was then pushed back until September 2020 once the shows were rearranged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the rearranged dates now having been pushed back until next year, SSAIB have taken the decision to officially launch the scheme with an online presentation with Future Fire Systems Limited virtually, through the use of Microsoft Teams later this month – after the Essex-based organisation were the first to successfully navigate the application process for SSAIB’s latest scheme.
SSAIB utilised technology ahead of the national lockdown back in March to ensure that the certification needs of both existing and prospective SSAIB firms could be met throughout deeply uncertain times. Online forum events for registered firms and auditors’ meetings have also been a huge success for the organisation, so the decision has been taken to use the Microsoft Teams platform to recognise the achievements of the first SSAIB-registered firm to achieve certification for BAFE SP203-4.
Future Fire Systems Limited are a new SSAIB-registered firm, having achieved maintenance-only certification for both SP203-1 and SP203-4 following their audit in July 2020 – after SSAIB’s decision to carry on working throughout lockdown allowed new companies to achieve certification during the on-going COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
SSAIB chief executive Alex Carmichael commented: “It gives me great pleasure to say that SSAIB are now officially able to certificate companies looking for SP203-4 certification for emergency lighting systems.
“A lot of work went in behind the scenes to get this latest component of our fire certification schemes up and running in May of this year, which we had looked forward to celebrating properly at the premier security and fire events in the industry at IFSEC and FIREX a month later.
“However, with two failed attempts at being able to officially launch the scheme in this way due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we looked at how we could successfully incorporate technology once again – in keeping with the rest of 2020 for SSAIB – and we decided that would celebrate the achievements of Future Fire Systems Limited as being the inaugural firm to achieve SP203-4 certification through SSAIB.
“I would like to congratulate the team at Future Fire Systems Limited for achieving SP203-4 certification and I hope they are the first of many SSAIB firms to successfully navigate themselves through this process.”
BAFE chief executive Stephen Adams added: “BAFE are delighted that SSAIB have added the SP203-4 Emergency Lighting Systems Scheme to their scope of assessment. SSAIB has seen considerable growth in the fire safety market and this addition will provide further access for the industry to become third-party certificated to offer safe and competent work for emergency lighting systems.
“It is especially crucial that these systems are not overlooked during this unprecedented time, with COVID-19, and are maintained appropriately to keep people safe in the event of any emergency. Only by specifying third-party certificated providers can you be sure of their evidential competency to deliver a compliant and well maintained system.”
For more information on BAFE SP203-4 Emergency Lighting Systems and how to apply for certification through SSAIB, please visit https://ssaib.org/page/emergency-lighting-scheme/.