FDIS has been awarded UKAS accreditation for the certification of fire door inspectors under the international standard BS EN ISO/IEC 17024:2012 Conformity assessment – General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons.
The accreditation marks a shift in the industry by focusing on individual competence. It provides those responsible for appointing or procuring fire door inspectors with assurance that the inspector has met the scope and rules to demonstrate competence set out in the FDIS Competence Person Certification Scheme standard.
The accreditation comes at a time of increased regulatory scrutiny following the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), which place greater emphasis on demonstrable competence across the built environment. Under the BSR framework, individuals must demonstrate the specific skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEB) required for their role, while organisations must evidence organisational capability through appropriate management systems, resources and supervision.
Louise Halton, FDIS scheme manager, said, “The Building Safety Act and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 are clear that individuals must be able to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours required for their role. Fire doors are a critical life-saving component of a building, so the competence of the professionals responsible for inspecting them should not be assumed – it should be evidenced through recognised training, assessment and third-party accreditation.
“In essence, ISO/IEC 17024 ensures a person is qualified to perform a job, while ISO/IEC 17065 ensures a product, process, or service meets specific standards. Both standards aim to build confidence and trust through impartial, competent, and consistent third-party assessment.”
