BAFE fire safety schemes
BAFE fire safety schemes
BAFE fire safety schemes
BAFE fire safety schemes
For further information or to apply
If you are interested in gaining NSI approval for BAFE fire safety schemes please complete our online Enquiry Form:
If you have any questions, please contact our sales team who will be happy to help.
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NSI approval options
Gold
NSI’s premier fire systems schemes are designed for companies who meet the industry’s highest technical standards and maintain a commitment to continual improvement with an ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
Silver
NSI's Fire Silver schemes are designed as a stepping stone towards Fire Gold.
It requires companies to meet the same high level of technical competence as the Fire Gold scheme.
NSI approves fire safety companies providing services in accordance with BAFE schemes as follows:
BS EN ISO 9001 Quality Management System Requirements
ISO 9001 is the most well recognised and adopted management system worldwide, it is a cornerstone of NSI Gold approval. (NSI Gold approval only).
NSI Quality Schedule FSQS 121
NSI’s Quality Schedule builds on the requirements of ISO 9001, providing industry specific quality management requirements linking the technical standards to the quality management framework. (NSI Gold approval only).
Evacuation Alert Systems
SP207
Fire Detection & Alarm Systems
SP203-1
Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment
SP205
Kitchen Fire Protection Systems
SP206
Fixed Gaseous Fire Suppression Systems
SP203-3
Emergency Lighting
SP203-4
Portable Fire Extinguisher Service Providers
SP101
Approval through an NSI scheme proves that you consistently meet the highest standards, including the relevant British Standards, reinforcing the reliability of your company.
Differentiate your business and brand awareness amongst buyers and specifiers.
Feature your business in the NSI Company Finder.
These schemes are acknowledged by the Fire & Rescue Services, Government, Insurers and the fire industry as benchmarks for companies delivering these fire protection services and demonstrate their competence.
Relevant British Standards and International Standards are available to NSI approved companies and applicants through our Online Standards Subscription Service or hard copies and electronic copies can be purchased through NSI at a preferential rate.
The role of BAFE
BAFE develops specialist schemes for the fire sector in conjunction with stakeholders such as NSI, the National Fire Chiefs' Council (NFCC), insurance companies and the fire safety industry, in the public interest.
NSI is proud to have been appointed by BAFE as an independent UKAS accredited Third Party Certification Body to deliver BAFE schemes.
In the fire sector, NSI is licensed by BAFE, with a remit to audit organisations against the BAFE fire safety schemes.
Organisations providing fire safety services who choose NSI as their certification body are both NSI approved and BAFE registered.
Fire Detection and Alarm Systems - SP203-1
NSI approves companies through its Fire Gold and Fire Silver schemes to meet the requirements of the BAFE SP203-1 Fire Detection and Alarm Systems Scheme. it is a legal requirement for all non-domestic/commercial properties to (where appropriate) equip the building with fire detectors and fire alarms. It is also part of this requirement to ensure they are maintained appropriately, to be effective in the event of a fire.
This scheme allows a company to seek approval for one or more of the modules below, depending on the activities of the business:
- design
- installation
- commissioning
- maintenance
Downloads:
Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment - SP205
All businesses with five employees or more must produce a documented fire risk assessment to establish that all the correct measures have been taken regarding fire prevention and detection.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, emphasises the importance of preventing fires and reducing risk. It is the responsibility of businesses to ensure the safety of employees and visitors alike. The designated responsible person must conduct, or employ a suitably qualified person to conduct, a fire risk assessment and implement and maintain a fire safety plan.
NSI approves individuals and organisations who provide life safety fire risk assessments (BAFE scheme SP205). A ‘responsible person’ within a business who chooses an SP205 NSI approved/BAFE registered practitioner to carry out a risk assessment can be assured that they have contracted a suitably competent and qualified expert, therefore meeting their legal obligations.
Downloads:
Evacuation Alert Systems - SP207
NSI is licensed to deliver the Evacuation Alert Systems Scheme, incorporating BAFE's Scheme SP207. BAFE, the UK’s independent register of quality fire safety service providers, has developed the new scheme in response to a recommendation from the Grenfell Tower Phase 1 inquiry report whereby new or existing blocks of flats, with one or more storeys over 18m above ground level, should be provided with evacuation alert systems.
The SP207 scheme calls up BS 8629, the ‘Code of Practice for the Design, Installation, Commission and Maintenance of Evacuation Alert Systems for use by Fire and Rescue Services in Buildings Containing Flats’, published in November 2019.
Evacuation alert systems activated solely by the fire and rescue services initiate evacuation alert signals in the event of a fire or other emergency, save time in alerting occupants to evacuate, and enable the most critical areas for evacuation to be prioritised. Organisations may choose to gain certification for one or more of the following four modules: design, installation, commissioning and/or maintenance and NSI offers both Gold and Silver certification.
Downloads:
Kitchen Fire Protection Systems - SP206
NSI was the first Certification Body in the UK to assess and verify competency of contractors who install and maintain Kitchen Fire Protection Systems to BAFE Scheme SP206.
Fire safety in commercial kitchens is of critical importance given the equipment being used and the increased risk of fire from cooking liquids such as oils and fats and cleaning products.
BAFE Scheme SP206 has been developed for those who use, or are responsible for, a commercial kitchen to give them the confidence their kitchen fire protection system is fit for purpose and will operate reliably, having been installed and maintained by a professional competent company. An NSI/BAFE certificate of compliance will be issued after installation and maintenance for added reassurance of the ongoing effectiveness of the system.
This fire-safety scheme exists to deliver quality, independent evidence that providers are competent to design, install, commission, maintain and recharge these specialist fire protection systems. The NSI certification scheme incorporates the requirements of the BAFE scheme document and allows approved organisations to display both the NSI and BAFE logos.
Downloads:
Competency of Portable Fire Extinguisher Organisations and Technicians - SP101
The BAFE SP101 ‘Competency of Portable Fire Extinguisher Organisations and Technicians’ Scheme is available for companies at Gold and Silver level.
All portable fire extinguisher technicians must have undertaken a recognised BAFE examination (e.g. FIA, IFEDA or British Fire Consortium). All commissioning and maintenance of portable extinguishers must be carried out in accordance with British Standard BS 5306 part 8 and BS 5306 Part 3.
In order to achieve BAFE SP101 certification there are two stages to the process:
- Stage 1 – Certification of the Management System (carried out by NSI)
- Stage 2 – Registration and assessment of all PFE Technicians (carried out by BAFE directly)
Until both the above stages have been completed, a company cannot claim to be SP101 approved (NSI will not issue the NSI Certificate of Approval, until BAFE confirms they have received applications for technician registration).
Downloads:
Emergency Lighting Systems - SP203-4
NSI approves companies through its Fire Gold and Fire Silver schemes to meet the requirements of the BAFE SP203-4 Emergency Lighting Systems scheme.
It is a legal requirement for all non-domestic/commercial properties to (where appropriate) equip the building with an emergency lighting system. It is also part of this requirement to ensure they are maintained appropriately, so they remain effective in the event of any emergency.
This is a modular scheme, enabling providers to seek third party certification for one or more of the following.
- Design
- Installation
- Commissioning
- Maintenance
Downloads:
Fixed Gaseous Fire Extinguishing Systems - SP203-3
The BAFE SP203-3 Scheme for Fixed Gaseous Fire Extinguishing Systems exists to deliver quality, independent evidence that providers are competent to carry out the services they provide.
The BAFE SP203-3 Scheme is also a modular scheme and providers may choose to be third party certificated for one or more of the following:
- Design
- Installation
- Commissioning
- Maintenance