Introducing BS 8674: A new chapter for fire risk assessors
The fire safety profession in the UK has reached a pivotal milestone with the publication of BS 8674:2025 – Built Environment – Framework for Competence of Individual Fire Risk Assessors – Code of Practice. This new British Standard sets out, for the first time, a clear and structured framework for assessing the competence of fire risk assessors, helping to raise standards and improve safety across the built environment.
A brief history behind BS 8674
The development of BS 8674 was driven by the urgent need to professionalise fire risk assessment following the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the subsequent recommendations from the Grenfell Inquiry. It builds on the groundwork laid by earlier initiatives such as the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021, and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
The standard was shaped through extensive collaboration between government, regulators, and industry stakeholders. The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) played a key role in its development, working alongside the Fire Sector Confederation, British Standards Institution (BSI), and other professional bodies.
What BS 8674 covers
BS 8674 introduces a tiered model of competence for fire risk assessors:
Foundation Level – For new entrants and those assessing simple premises.
Intermediate Level – For assessors with greater experience, handling medium complexity buildings.
Advanced Level – For highly experienced professionals working on complex, high-risk environments such as hospitals and high-rise residential buildings.
This framework provides clarity for duty holders, regulators, and clients, and supports career progression and consistent practice across the profession.
Not the final destination
While BS 8674 is a significant step forward, it is not the complete solution to fire risk assessor competence. It forms just one part of the evolving framework that fire risk assessors will work to in the future. The IFE is actively collaborating with partners and MHCLG to develop the next phase, which includes the government finalising a UKAS-accredited set of criteria that registration schemes such as that offered by IFE must comply with in order to operate a register of fire risk assessors.
It is important to recognise that the UKAS accreditation requirement will be for the IFE to comply with in terms of how we run our scheme of registration, individuals will be required to demonstrate competence against the new BS 8674 through the IFE process.
The government has already signalled its intention to legislate for mandatory accreditation, ensuring that fire risk assessors are independently verified for competence through UKAS-certified schemes such as that run by IFE.
Why join the IFE Fire Risk Assessors Register
In light of these developments, we strongly encourage all members engaged in fire risk assessment to join the IFE’s Fire Risk Assessors Register. This register is aligned with the new competency framework and includes registration with the Engineering Council, offering third-party validation of professional standards of your competence and commitment to our code of conduct and values.
Being part of the register demonstrates your commitment to excellence, ensures you meet evolving regulatory expectations, and provides assurance to clients and the public that you are a competent and accountable professional that they can access through your inclusion on our public register.
For more information please contact FRR@ife.org.uk