Things have really been heating up here at Worksmart Fire Door Inspection in recent months. We recently achieved accredited status for our very own CPD Seminar. Since then, Mark has been delivering the seminar to businesses up and down the country. We sat down with him to get a feel for what exactly it is he is doing when delivering these seminars and why information surrounding fire doors so important.
What is this Accredited CPD Seminar about?
Our CPD Seminar is titled FIRE DOORS – FUNCTION, RESPONSIBILITY & COMPLIANCE. It is an overview of the role and function of fire doors, who is responsible for them, how they exercise that responsibility and how they ensure they are being compliant.
There are many misconceptions in the property sector about what duty holders (or responsible persons) must do to comply with fire safety regulations and many people undertake some of their responsibilities very well (for example, fire extinguisher testing). Our aim with this CPD seminar is to:
- Spread the word that fire doors are absolutely crucial elements of fire safety and that, due to the fact they are in constant use, NEED regular maintenance.
- Explain to specifiers, developers & contractors the importance of correct installation – coming out of the factory with a certificate is worthless if the door is not installed correctly.
- Clarify that ‘responsibility for fire safety measures’ means ALL fire safety measures – not just fire alarms and fire extinguishers. The penalties for failing to ensure that fire doors are compliant are the same as any other failure to comply with fire safety standards.
- Raise awareness of independent accreditation schemes for fire door inspection specialists, which are the best way to ensure your contractors can be shown to be ‘competent’ to work with fire doors as defined by the law.
Who needs to know about Fire Doors?
Everyone in the property/construction sectors needs to know this information.
Worksmart is a very successful interior fit-out and refurbishment contractor with numerous major clients, but we wanted to make sure – and give our clients confidence that – what we were installing was fit for purpose and compliant. Since starting that process we have been shocked at some of the things we’ve seen and the lack of awareness and understanding around fire doors.
So we created our seminar, which is intended for all property professionals – architects, surveyors, specifiers, contractors, facilities managers, estates managers, hoteliers, care home providers, student accommodation providers – the list is long!
We want to encourage EVERYBODY in the chain to add it to their agenda – the more people that are talking about it, the more people will take action and the sooner it will become best practice.
I would encourage EVERYONE reading this to contact us to arrange a seminar – after all, why wouldn’t legal compliance with fire safety standards be on your agenda?
What kind of reactions/feedback have you received on the CPD seminar?
Reaction has been very positive. We always try to tailor the seminar to our audience’s world by getting an understanding from them where they sit in the ‘chain’ of responsibility and always have lively discussion during the session. There are is usually something that raises a few eyebrows and makes people review their practices. There have even been occasions where our candidates have realised they are providing services they have no recognised accreditation to provide!
How has your daily work schedule changed since you began doing the seminars?
Fortunately, I have a very efficient colleague who manages the appointments diary, so that side of things is taken care of for me! Typically, on a seminar day, I may fit in an appointment or two in the morning, but always aim to arrive at client’s office at about 12 midday to set up. The seminar itself lasts a little over an hour and I will spend some time in the afternoon completing the administration for the session – logging contact details for delegates and sending out CPD certificates for their records.
How often does Worksmart Fire Door Inspection Run Seminars?
We try to have one seminar a week so that I still have time to do my ‘day job’ of actually inspecting fire doors, but it doesn’t always work out that way. We have been delivering an average of one seminar a week since we launched the CPD in January, most of these have been to individual companies, but we have also been invited to deliver two sessions for the RICS in Glasgow and Edinburgh, details of which can be found on their website.
We’re really keen to keep getting the word out there about our fire door inspection services, so give us a call if to arrange a seminar – or to discuss anything to do with your fire doors!
