Nicola John, Managing Director of FDM Training & Development, explains why fire door inspection schemes should remain independent and why quality training sits at the heart of building safety.
Fire door inspection schemes are becoming more common as the industry responds to tighter regulations and growing scrutiny. It can be tempting to think that joining a scheme is the only way to demonstrate competence and ensure safety, but the reality is more nuanced.
The most effective schemes accept recognised training from any provider. They look at competence as a whole, reviewing evidence of learning, practical experience, and ongoing development. This approach allows schemes to remain independent and objective, providing reassurance to building owners and occupiers that inspections are carried out by capable, impartial professionals.
Why schemes should not deliver their own training
Some schemes on the market only recognise qualifications they have delivered themselves. That creates an inherent conflict. If a scheme trains individuals and then certifies them, it is essentially checking its own work. In my view, this undermines credibility and risks creating a closed loop where innovation and real-world experience are sidelined.
FDM has always taken a different approach. We focus on specialist, high-quality training and development. Our courses and qualifications are designed to equip the fire door supply chain with practical competence that can be applied immediately on-site. We do not, and will not, start a third-party scheme because doing so would compromise independence. Training and auditing are two distinct roles and keeping them separate is essential if schemes are to be trusted.
Training should be recognised, not replaced
The benefit of schemes that accept external qualifications is clear. Professionals can progress through FDM courses, gain recognised certification, and then have their competence verified by the scheme without duplication or unnecessary barriers. This model encourages freedom of choice, allowing individuals to select the training that best meets their needs and the standards of the industry while still participating in recognised schemes.
Schemes should act like verifiers rather than trainers, checking, auditing, and validating competence without delivering the courses themselves. Training providers lead in curriculum design, practical assessment, and continuous development. That expertise forms the benchmark against which schemes can measure competence, ensuring audits and checks are meaningful rather than procedural.
Competence, not compliance alone
No single scheme, course, or certificate is a silver bullet. The fire door landscape is evolving, and professionals need both robust training and independent validation to keep buildings safe. A scheme that only accepts its own trainees narrows the pool of talent and risks excluding those with high-quality experience or alternative qualifications. Schemes must remain flexible and recognise competence wherever it is developed.
Compliance alone is not enough. True safety depends on people being capable and confident in their roles. That capability comes from structured, practical training, reinforced by experience, and validated by independent inspection. Schemes that attempt to combine training delivery with auditing risk blurring these lines, which can reduce transparency and confidence.
Keeping roles separate strengthens the industry
Training providers continue to lead in education and assessment while schemes act as impartial verifiers of competence. This separation protects the integrity of the profession and ensures that fire door inspections are carried out consistently and reliably. FDM’s qualifications provide a trusted benchmark, but it is the schemes that confirm these standards are applied in practice.
Independent schemes are essential to maintaining trust and credibility. High-quality, specialist training is essential to building competence. Keeping these roles distinct allows the industry to deliver safe, compliant, and reliable fire door inspections that professionals and building owners can trust.
