Understanding fire safety bodies: Memberships, accreditations, and registers explained

If you're working as a fire risk assessor - or thinking about becoming one - you’ll quickly notice there’s no shortage of organisations offering memberships, certifications, and registration schemes. But knowing which ones matter, and what each type of recognition actually means, can be confusing at first.

Should you join a professional body? Do you need third-party accreditation? And what about fire risk assessor registers?

We’ve broken down the key types of recognition in the industry - membership bodies, third-party certification, and competency registers - so you can make informed decisions about your professional development, and understand how best to demonstrate your competence to potential clients and enforcing authorities.

Why competency matters in fire risk assessment

The Fire Safety Order 2005 (and related legislation in devolved nations) requires that a fire risk assessment be carried out by a “competent person.” But what defines "competence"? While the law doesn’t lay down specific qualifications, the industry has developed a number of routes to demonstrate it - through memberships, accreditations, and registration schemes.

Membership bodies for fire risk assessors

Membership bodies are professional organisations that individuals can join based on qualifications, experience, and ongoing professional development. They often support members with training, industry updates, and networking opportunities.

The main membership bodies include:
  • The Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE) -  An organisation providing professional recognition and qualifications for fire professionals. Members grades range from student memberships to fellows who have made significant contributions to the industry. The IFE also runs CPD programmes and assesses competence through its fire risk assessor register.
  • The Institution of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM) -  A UK-based body focused on promoting fire safety and supporting members with professional development, training, and ethical standards. They also have a fire risk assessor register whereby competence of individuals is assessed.
Important note: Membership alone does not mean someone is accredited or registered to practice. It shows affiliation, not necessarily competence.

What are fire risk assessor registers?

Registers are lists of individuals deemed competent to carry out fire risk assessments. These registers often require assessors to demonstrate:
  • A minimum level of experience and qualifications
  • CPD (continuing professional development)
  • Commitment to professional conduct
  • Regular assessment or auditing
The IFE and IFSM both have registers, which are separate from their membership grade offering.

What is third-party accreditation in fire risk assessment?

Third-party accreditation is an independent verification that an individual or organisation meets specific standards of competence and quality assurance. This is considered the most reliable way to demonstrate competence in the industry as it puts the onus on the individual person or organisation to meet the competencies.

It typically means their work is regularly audited, and they operate under strict codes of conduct. Accreditation bodies include:
An outcome of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report was that fire risk assessors will need to prove their competence through a UKAS-accredited certification body. Certification bodies will use British Standards Institution (BSI) standards to assess competence - such as BS 8674.

The most common certification scheme is BAFE SP205 - A UKAS-accredited scheme where organisations and sole traders can be assessed for competency in fire risk assessment. 

You may have also heard of the Fire Risk Assessor Certification Scheme (FRACS) run by Warringtonfire. This scheme has now been closed and all certificates withdrawn.

Third-party accreditation offers reassurance to clients and enforcing authorities that an assessor’s work is held to a rigorous, ongoing standard.

Membership vs Accreditation vs Registers – What’s the difference?

In summary, all the bodies involved in fire safety have the same objective - to ensure suitably competent professionals are carrying out fire risk assessments, and providing a means to evidence that to clients, employers, and organisations.