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SFJ Awards has launched two new fire risk assessment qualifications aligned with the BS 8674 standard, updated by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in August last year.
The update to BS 8674 followed the Grenfell Tower fire and wider fire safety reforms, with the aim of improving consistency, quality and accountability in how fire risk assessments are carried out.
Fire risk assessments are a legal requirement in the UK. Anyone responsible for a building – including employers, owners or occupiers of premises that are not single private dwellings – must ensure a suitably competent person completes an assessment.
To support this, SFJ Awards worked with fire and rescue services, the Ministry of Defence and other stakeholders to develop two Ofqual-regulated routes: the Level 4 Certificate and the Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment. The two pathways are designed to give learners greater flexibility while meeting the requirements set out in BS 8674:2025.
The qualifications focus on applying legislation and risk-based approaches across a range of premises, helping learners produce clear findings and practical recommendations as part of the assessment process.
“Delivering improved standards in fire risk assessments relies upon having the learning architecture in place to support learners to acquire the requisite knowledge and apply it practically in the field. Bringing these new qualifications to market is a key step forward in supporting this aim and enabling alignment with BS 8674:2025.
“The introduction of the Level 4 Certificate and Level 4 Diploma offers two qualification routes to provide flexibility for learners and support greater coverage across the sector – as is needed – to drive up safety standards overall.”
David Higham, Managing Director at SFJ Awards.
Chris Wilson, managing director at The Fire Safety Academy and a member of the steering group behind the qualifications, said the updated standard marks a significant shift for the sector.
“BS 8674:2025 is an important step forward for assessing and reducing fire risk in residential complexes, tall buildings, and business and mixed-use premises,” he said.
“These qualifications provide a vital link between the new safety standards and the people responsible for carrying out fire risk assessments.”
The Level 4 Certificate and Diploma are now available through training centres across the UK and support progression through supervised practice, workplace experience and continuing professional development.
SFJ Awards has also confirmed that Level 5 Certificate and Diploma qualifications are in development, aimed at supporting progression to advanced fire risk assessor competencies outlined in BS 8674:2025.
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