Fire safety inspector

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This apprenticeship has been retired

Overview of the role

Assessing the level of fire safety in built environments.

Details of standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in the Fire and Rescue sector. The fire and rescue sector is formed of three elements, prevention, protection and response. The occupation of fire safety inspector is a specialist role within the protection element, linking closely with the other two elements of protection and response.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to assess the level of fire safety in the built environment in their area and instigate improvements, where necessary, to preserve life, to reduce damage to property and the environment and to support economic growth.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with effectively with partner agencies, particularly local regulatory services teams to join up enforcement work.

They work with external stakeholders within the community.
They attend internal and external meetings with stakeholders, such as Safety Advisory Groups, and investigate complaints regarding fire safety in commercial premises.
The also exchange information effectively with operational crews, prevention teams and partner agencies to ensure an integrated approach to the management of fire risk.

They will also provide support and technical expertise to colleagues and other departments, including mentoring and training, to ensure effective sharing of knowledge.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for providing advice, participating in consultations, the enforcement of legislation relating to fire safety and supporting investigations and prosecutions. Fire Safety Inspectors inspect complex premises and support businesses by giving advice on how to comply with regulations. Fire Safety Inspectors work at supervisory/managerial level within the fire sector, but they may not necessarily supervise or manage others.

Typical job titles include:

Fire safety auditor

Occupation duties

Duty	Criteria for measuring performance	KSBs
Duty 1 Carry out Fire Safety inspections/audits of premises in line with current fire safety legislation	Audits are carried out in line with organisational and legislative requirements	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6
Duty 2 Enforce Fire Safety legislation in accordance with organisational policy, to include collecting/providing evidence, where appropriate	In compliance with legislative requirements	K1 K2 K4 K11 K12 K13 S3 S6 S7 B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B7 B8
Duty 3 Gather Operational Risk Information to contribute to the safety of operational staff	Information is gathered according to organisational requirements	K1 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K14 S3 S4 S5 S6 S8 B1 B4 B7 B8
Duty 4 Identify high risk premises, groups and individuals within the community to assist with the implementation of targeted risk-based inspection programmes	In line with organisational policy and procedures	K1 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 S3 S4 S5 S9 B1 B2 B3 B6 B7
Duty 5 Examine and respond to consultations and submissions from external stakeholders and provide advice in order to determine compliance with statutory codes of practice and other fire safety related legislation with applicable time constraints. Submissions and consultations could include: planning, building regulations, House(s) of Multiple Occupancy, licencing, marriage venues, etc	Within required timescales following organisational policies and procedures	K1 K2 K6 K7 K8 K13 S2 S3 S6 S7 S8 S9 B1 B4 B6 B8
Duty 6 Support formal investigations as required by the organisation and take appropriate action	Investigations are carried out following organisational procedures and meet legislative requirements	K1 K2 K8 K9 K13 K15 K16 S3 S7 S8 B4 B7
Duty 7 Contribute to the policy and procedures that relate to legislative guidance on matters concerning Fire Safety	Contribute information that is accurate and up to date	K1 K2 K3 K8 K12 K16 S6 S7 S8 B1 B2 B4 B8
Duty 8 Provide technical advice and support on fire safety regulations and guidance documents to internal and external stakeholders	Advice and support is provided clearly and concisely and appropriate to the audience	K1 K2 K6 K7 K8 S3 S6 S7 S8 S10 B1 B4 B6 B7 B8
Duty 9 Work in accordance with the Primary Authority Scheme	Complies with legislation and organisational policies and procedures	K2 K3 K4 K10 K11 K13 S3 S6 S7 S11 B4 B6 B8
Duty 10 Provide support and guidance to businesses to reduce unwanted fire signals (e.g. from automatic fire alarms) and deliberate fires	Support and guidance is provided to meet the needs of the business in a timely manner, clearly and concisely	K1 K3 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K16 K17 K18 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S10 B1 B3 B6 B7 B8
Duty 11 Collaborate effectively with partner agencies, particularly local regulatory services teams to join up enforcement activities	Share information in accordance with partnership agreements	K6 K7 K9 K10 K12 K13 K16 K18 S2 S4 S7 S8 S11 B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B8
Duty 12 Attend internal and external meetings with stakeholders such as Safety Advisory Groups to provide guidance and support with fire safety matters to ensure the safety of the public	Communicate clearly and appropriately to the audience and portray a positive image of your organisation	K1 K6 K7 K9 K10 K16 K18 S3 S4 S6 S7 S8 S10 B1 B2 B3 B4 B8
Duty 13 Respond to alleged fire risks/complaints and post fire enquiries	Respond in line with agreed timescales and according to organisational policies and procedures and any related legislation	K1 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K13 K16 K18 S3 S4 S5 S8 S10 B1 B3 B4 B6 B7 B8

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The principles of Fire Safety Order and other fire safety legislation, building regulations legislation and British Safety Standards including national guidance and best practice. Back to Duty

K2: How the Fire Safety Order interacts with other legislation, guidance and best practice. Back to Duty

K3: The Primary Authority Scheme Back to Duty

K4: Levels of compliance and how they interact with the Enforcement Management Model and Better Regulation Back to Duty

K5: How to carry out fire safety inspections Back to Duty

K6: Different types of premises, the associated risks and management levels Back to Duty

K7: Fire safety principles for high risk and complex premises and venues, in accordance with recognised guidance Back to Duty

K8: Fire Risk Assessment process Back to Duty

K9: Safeguarding issues and concerns and the actions to take Back to Duty

K10: The different groups and individuals you may interact with as part of your role Back to Duty

K11: How to initiate enforcement activities Back to Duty

K12: How to work with other agencies to enforce fire safety legislation Back to Duty

K13: The different types of formal response and the timescales Back to Duty

K14: Why operational staff need to have valid, reliable and up to date information on premises, where it is stored and how it can be accessed and used Back to Duty

K15: Your role in supporting formal investigations, the actions you can take and when and where to escalate Back to Duty

K16: The legislation, policies and procedures of the organisation and how these affect the role, including data protection, confidentiality, health and safety and lone working plus other relevant organisational policies and procedures Back to Duty

K17: Causes and consequences of unwanted fire signals and deliberate fires Back to Duty

K18: The purpose and role of collaborative partners who can do what, etc. sharing of information and the advances of collaborative working Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Carry out an audit/inspection of complex premises and venues and assess the risks and evaluate the level of fire safety management Back to Duty

S2: To identify and constructively challenge non-compliance Back to Duty

S3: Produce fire safety reports, letters, statutory or non-statutory notices and plans according to organisational policies and procedures Back to Duty

S4: Identify safeguarding issues, such as hoarding, child sexual exploitation, slavery, vulnerability etc. and take appropriate action Back to Duty

S5: Be situationally aware of yourself, others and the environment to ensure safety of all Back to Duty

S6: Interpret and apply the technical knowledge to enforce the Fire Safety Order, such as British Standards, Building Regulations, National Guidance and Best Practice Back to Duty

S7: Work with other agencies, such as local authority building control, approved inspectors, licensing authorities, etc Back to Duty

S8: Demonstrate clear communication skills, with the ability to interact with a wide range of audiences, being persuasive and confident. To communicate complicated information verbally and in writing Back to Duty

S9: Evaluate fire safety design submissions and fire protection systems Back to Duty

S10: To assess fire safety concerns, provide fire safety advice on request and make decisions to instigate improvements as required Back to Duty

S11: Respond to enquiries and requests from other organisations, in accordance with the Primary Authority Scheme Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Embraces and values diversity and demonstrates a fair and ethical approach in all situations Back to Duty

B2: Proactively supports change, adjusting approach to meet changing requirements Back to Duty

B3: Maintains a confident, controlled and focused attitude in highly challenging situations Back to Duty

B4: Committed and able to develop self, individuals, teams and others, to improve organisational effectiveness Back to Duty

B5: Understands and applies relevant information to make appropriate decisions and creates practical solutions Back to Duty

B6: Work within own level of authority, responsibility and competence and recognise when to seek support and/or assistance Back to Duty

B7: Applies relevant information to make appropriate decisions and creates practical solutions Back to Duty

B8: Leads others to achieve excellence by the establishment, maintenance and management of performance requirements Back to Duty

Qualifications

English and Maths

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

Institution for Fire Engineers for Membership

Additional details

Occupational Level:

Duration (months):

Review

this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

Status: Retired

Level: 4

Reference: ST0746

Version: 1.0

Date updated: 27/02/2023

Route: Protective services

Typical duration to gateway: 24 months (this does not include EPA period)

Maximum funding: £8000

LARS Code: 530

EQA Provider: Ofqual

Fire safety inspector assessment plan (v1.0 retired)

File size: 301.5 KB

Employers involved in creating the standard: Fire and Rescue Services: London, South Yorkshire, Shropshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, South Wales, Devon and Somerset, Avon, Suffolk, West Midlands, Hants, Royal Berkshire, Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, Tyne and Wear. Training Providers/Others: IFE, XACT, Fire Service College, NFCC

Print the occupational standard (including PDF)

Version log

Version	Change detail	Earliest start date	Latest start date
1.1	End-point assessment and funding band revised.	24/02/2023	Not set
1.0	Approved for delivery	20/11/2019	23/02/2023

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