What Is BAFE? (And Is It a Legal Requirement?)

BAFE is the independent fire safety register for the United Kingdom. Founded in 1984, it acts as a national register for fire safety businesses. 

That means that BAFE-registered companies are assessed by an independent body, allowing for their competency and skill to be reviewed on a continual basis.

This month at Surrey Tech Services Ltd, we’re going to explore what BAFE means, whether registration is a legal requirement and what the benefits of using a BAFE-registered company are.

Let’s start with the common question first, what does it actually stand for?

What does BAFE stand for?

According to the registration on Companies House, BAFE stands for British Approvals for Fire Equipment. 

However, the name was a reflection of what the body carried out when first founded, so it has since expanded on the original mission. BAFE now covers a wider variety of fire safety services, something highlighted by the new tagline it uses in marketing: British Approvals for Fire Excellence.

It’s that subtle alteration in wording from “equipment” to “excellence” that hints at how much BAFE has grown over the last few decades.

Is BAFE registration a legal requirement?

The short answer is no, companies dealing with fire safety services and products don’t need to be BAFE registered. 

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Or that you shouldn’t always look for a BAFE-registered company when dealing with any aspect of fire safety for your building.

With that said, the Government guidance on fire safety – and particularly fire safety in the workplace – also heavily suggests that third-party certification is something you should seek. This is because it gives the “fullest possible assurance, offering a level of quality, reliability and safety that non-certified products may lack”. 

Companies that are BAFE registered have done so voluntarily, meaning that they’ve submitted their products and services for a thorough, independent assessment by a professional. 

What then, are the benefits of this for you, as someone choosing a company to carry out services such as fire risk assessments and installation of fire alarm systems and evacuation alert systems?

The benefits of using a BAFE-registered company

There are many benefits you get when choosing a company registered with BAFE for your fire safety works. Here are just four reasons to take that extra step:

1. You get peace of mind – this is because organisations pay for their own assessment, and that means you can trust the company really wants to show their commitment to professionalism.
2. Reduce your risk – by choosing a company that has been third-party certified, you know you’ll be reducing the risk of anything going wrong.
3. It can help with your insurance – some insurers will be keen to see evidence that you have taken every reasonable step to protect your premises — and using a BAFE-registered company shows you’ve done your due diligence if you’ve asked to see proof of certification.
4. Compliance with the latest standards – to retain the status of being BAFE-registered, companies must constantly keep up to date with the latest standards, giving you an added assurance of their quality.

Here at Surrey Tech Services Ltd, we’re BAFE registered, which means you get all of the benefits mentioned above and more when we work on fire safety and fire prevention for your building or property.

We can help you to protect people in your building, along with your assets, through services that have been assessed and verified as meeting the required standards. This includes the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire alarm systems (BAFE SP203-1). 

Call today to book a free site survey, regardless of what you require, and get the peace of mind that comes with using our BAFE-certified services.