New Emergency Lighting Scheme Announced
Following extensive work by the BAFE monitoring group, BAFE is to introduce a new
scheme to demonstrate the competence of companies operating in the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of emergency lighting systems.
It has been added to the existing BAFE portfolio, recognising the important role of emergency lighting in the fire protection/evacuation process, to enable companies to receive third party certification to prove their competence in this area.
The scheme has been incorporated within the SP203 series which already offers two system application modules:
SP203-1: Fire Detection and Alarm Systems
SP203-3: Fixed Gaseous Fire Suppression Systems
This new SP203-4 will continue with the modular framework that has proved popular in SP203, allowing companies the flexibility to select some or all of the modules according to their specific area of expertise. This reflects the way in which the majority of fire detection systems are designed, installed, commissioned and maintained.
The scheme is currently out for public comment, with a deadline of 30 September, 2009 for comments to be submitted. These will be considered and fed into the final version by the Monitoring Group, with the launch of the scheme scheduled for the last quarter of 2009.
Tony Maskens, BAFE Technical Schemes Manager, comments: "The SP203 Series was reviewed last year, simplifying the scheme by separating out the different elements involved in a fire detection and suppression system into their own distinct modules. Emergency lighting has thus far not been covered but we recognised that it should be and have therefore been working to address this. As with other products, systems and services involved in life safety, client companies, insurers and regulatory authorities are looking for ways in which companies can unequivocally demonstrate they are competent to carry out the work that they do. BAFE Third party certification is the most robust way of achieving this and will now be available to companies involved in emergency lighting for industrial and commercial premises."
(BAFE is the independent 3rd party approvals organisation ensuring quality for the Fire Protection Industry. Celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2009, BAFE is supported by Government and agencies, certification bodies and trade associations and its great strengths are the inclusive national membership and its level of independence.)
Contact Details and Archive...