A lack of clarity about what it means to be “competent” to install a fire door has been a longstanding issue for the construction sector – but a new Competence Framework for specialist fire door installers now promises to set that straight. Richard Kowalski, Technical Manager for Doors at Stairways Midlands, who was among the industry voices behind the framework, explores this vital turning point.
What does it mean to be competent to install a fire door? For years, regulations have been clear that only competent individuals should undertake this safety-critical work – but what “competent” actually looks has never been properly defined. The result has been inconsistency, uncertainty, and in some cases dangerous practice.
That confusion is now on its way out. A new Competence Framework for Site Carpenters and Specialist Timber Fire Door Installers, developed by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) under the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) – Sector Led Group 10 (SLG10), is providing long-awaited clarity.
Richard Kowalski, Technical Manager for Doors at Stairways Midlands, one of the experts involved in its creation, believes this marks a turning point. With more than 25 years’ experience and seats on both the Fire Door Alliance and British Woodworking Federation committees, he has long argued for meaningful standards and believes that this is “long overdue recognition of the crucial role fire door installers play in keeping people safe – and the standards of knowledge, skills and professionalism that must therefore apply.”
Why was Clarity Needed?
Fire doors are life-saving devices, required by law in many buildings to help stop the spread of fire and smoke. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states they must be installed by a “competent person,” but the bar has been left open to interpretation.
Some installers have pursued third-party certifications such as FIRAS, BM TRADA Q-Mark, or Certifire; others have relied on little more than short online courses. “We’ve seen projects revisited years later under new inspection regimes, only to find doors that were never compliant from the start,” explains Richard. “Sometimes the most basic safety-critical details were missed. We’ve seen inspectors pull off architraves to discover there was no mastic at all between the frame and the structural opening. Examples like that underline why a clear benchmark has been so urgently needed.”
The New Competence Framework
Published in July for consultation, the Specialist Timber Fire Door Installer Competence Framework sets out the essential skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours (SKEB) required for Site Carpenters and Specialist Timber Fire Door Installers.
The framework is the result of collaboration across the sector, involving manufacturers such as Stairways, the British Woodworking Federation, training organisations, and on-site professionals. That collective input helped shape a flexible model, says Richard:
“Initially, many of us thought a rigid register was the answer – something like Gas Safe for gas engineers. But the reality of our sector is more complex. People reach competence through different routes: years of on-site experience, formal training, or third-party certification. Rather than one-size-fits-all, we needed something that recognises those different pathways while still setting a consistent expectation.”
Introducing a live Portfolio
At the heart of the framework is the concept of a competency portfolio – a live record of an individual’s training, development and work on site.
“It’s not just about holding a certificate,” Richard explains. “It’s about being able to demonstrate competency in the real world – through training records, inspection sheets, site photos, or customer feedback, for example. Competence also means showing that you’re keeping pace with changing standards and documents.”
Crucially, the framework also incorporates behaviours alongside technical expertise. These include accountability and the willingness to challenge poor practice. “Embedding that kind of behaviour is just as important as technical skills in creating a culture of professionalism,” adds Richard.
Making it a Turning Point
Change is never without friction. The framework means more record-keeping, and some installers may be reluctant to take it on. But uptake will be driven by those who want to do things properly – and by clients and contractors who increasingly demand evidence of competence across their supply chains.
The CITB is supporting adoption through consultation events, but responsibility also lies with manufacturers and industry leaders. “At Stairways, we have taken an approach of ‘shared responsibility,” says Richard, “Not only supplying a compliant product, but supporting the people who fit it with detailed installation guides and toolbox talks – and now by actively promoting the new framework.”
Looking ahead, the framework is designed to evolve into a recognised route to competence – a professional passport of sorts, where installers can evidence their ongoing CPD, training, and safe practice.
For Richard, that consistency is vital: “This framework sets a standard that is both realistic for installers and reassuring for clients. It’s a turning point for fire door safety – and one the industry must grasp.”
Footnote – Who is developing this?
The Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) was formally launched in December 2024 and now operates as a working group of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) under the Building Safety Regulator. It comprises 15 Sector Led Groups spanning construction and the built environment. Sector Led Group 10 (SLG10) covers Installation and Maintenance. A rollout structure – the Super Sector Programme – groups work into five categories: Envelope, Engineering Services, Interiors, Civils, and Structures. The Specialist Timber Fire Door Installer Competence Framework has been developed within SLG10 – Installation and Maintenance – Envelope and Interiors Super Sector.
For more visit:
https://www.citb.co.uk/media/fe2m5fvg/2914_citb_carpentry_comp-frameworks-pdf_270625.pdf
