The validation assessment has been developed by LABC to enable experienced building control surveyors to demonstrate their competence in relation to building regulation fire safety in the context of high risk and complex buildings (residential and commercial). This also includes Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs) included in the draft Building Safety Bill. 

THE MEASURE OF COMPETENCY

Whilst many of you have years of experience as Building Control Surveyors there has never been a true demonstrable measure of the competency of a building control surveyor to work on complex and high risk buildings. Whilst many surveyors have qualifications and are members of professional bodies, post Grenfell this is no longer considered enough to validate an individual to work on the most complex of projects. In the near future all levels of building control surveyor will need to have their competence validated in this way in order to be Registered with the Building Safety Regulator

LABC has created an assessment to allow existing experienced surveyors to validate their fire safety competency in working on high risk and complex buildings. This assessment has been written to test four elements of competency in line with emerging industry guidance on competency assessment, namely:

• Knowledge – job specific knowledge required to perform the role / level effectively
• Skills / Experience - relevant and recent job specific capabilities or proficiencies developed (through the application of that knowledge) to perform the role / level effectively supported by peers and mentors.
• Abilities - innate capabilities required of a particular task or situation – personal skills, awareness of strengths and weaknesses and maintaining CPD
• Ethics & Professional Behaviour - moral principles and respectful and courteous business and personal conduct.

THE VALIDATION PROCESS

• STEP 1 – All candidates will be required to complete an application form stating their relevant qualifications and experience of working on higher risk buildings.
• STEP 2 – LABC will review all applications and contact candidate line managers to obtain their endorsement of the application form.
• STEP 3 – LABC will confirm approval of the application via email with a link to book onto your chosen exam location. The cost of the validation assessment is £550+VAT. 
• STEP 4 – Candidates sit the exam.  All examination centres will adhere fully to COVID-19 guidelines ensuring social distancing and all necessary precautions are in place. The examination is in 2 parts. The first is closed book and lasts for 1 hour. There is then a short break after which there will be a 2 hour open book examination. Due to COVID restrictions, there will be no refreshments provided,
• STEP 5 - Results will be published 8 weeks after the exam date. Results provided will be PASS/REFERRED.

All successful candidates will receive a certificate and an ID card showing that they have passed the validation assessment. Bi-annual renewal of ID cards will be subject to candidates submitting sufficient evidence of ongoing project work in relation to building regulations fire safety on higher risk buildings.

The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) has worked with LABC to create this assessment process and has confirmed that by passing the assessment individuals will be able to gain access to membership of the IFE (MIFireE) subject to an appropriate professional portfolio.

START APPLICATION

If you have any questions regarding the validation assessment please contact the validation team at validations@labc.co.uk

USEFUL RESOURCES

LABC Validation assessment for Building Regulation Fire Safety on Higher Risk Buildings  – what you need to know

• This document contains information of why this assessment has been created and outlines recommended reading and the structure of the examination.

LABC Validation assessment for Building Regulation Fire Safety on Higher Risk Buildings  – sample paper

• Sample paper containing example questions