What is FIRAS certification? [Fire-stopping contractor’s guide]

FIRAS certification is a voluntary third-party scheme for UK contractors that install passive fire protection systems, providing assurance that their work meets defined standards.

From its establishment in 1994 to 2024, more than 1,300 companies gained FIRAS certification, with over 250,000 projects completed under the scheme. That 30-year track record makes FIRAS one of the best-established marks of quality and competence for fire-stopping contractors.

If you’re considering joining this select group, this guide explains everything you need to know about FIRAS certification, including how to obtain and maintain one.

Key takeaways

• FIRAS is voluntary, but valuable
  It helps fire-stopping contractors demonstrate competence and build client confidence.

• Certification is modular
  Your FIRAS modules define the types of fire protection work your company is certified to carry out.

• The process covers more than an application
  Contractors must pass office, site, and staff competence assessments before certification is awarded.

• Certification needs ongoing management
  FIRAS-certified companies must register projects, keep records, and pass ongoing surveillance audits.

• Keep your FIRAS evidence organised
  Onetrace helps fire-stopping contractors capture installation evidence, manage project records, and keep audit-ready documentation in one place.

What is FIRAS certification? 

FIRAS certification is a structured third-party scheme for assessing the competence, processes, and quality controls of companies that install fire protection systems.

For fire-stopping contractors, this means looking beyond individual products or installations to evaluate whether the business has the people, procedures, and records needed to deliver work to a consistent standard. The scheme also requires certified work to be supported by suitable test or assessment evidence, helping ensure that the installed system can deliver the required fire performance.

FIRAS is operated by Warringtonfire, a long-established fire testing, inspection, and certification organisation.

Warringtonfire’s certification activities are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) against BS EN ISO/IEC 17065:2012. This international standard gives the scheme an independent framework for assessing and monitoring certified companies.

Still, FIRAS isn’t a replacement for building regulations, statutory duties, or the project-specific requirements set by designers and clients. Instead, it provides an additional layer of assurance around the people carrying out fire protection work and the systems they install.

FIRAS also complements product certification. A tested or certified product still needs to be installed correctly if the finished system is to achieve its intended fire performance.

Why should fire-stopping contractors obtain FIRAS certification?

FIRAS certification offers a number of benefits for fire-stopping contractors, including:

• Proving competence: FIRAS shows that your company, processes, and relevant personnel have been assessed against defined requirements, giving clients greater confidence in the quality of your work.

• Winning more work: Certification can help you stand out when working with clients, specifiers, and main contractors who value or require third-party certified installers.

• Strengthening quality control: The scheme requires contractors to have suitable procedures, competence checks, and records in place, helping create a more consistent approach to fire-stopping work.

• Building client confidence: Independent assessment and ongoing surveillance give clients additional assurance that your business can work to the required standards.

• Supporting traceability: FIRAS requires certified companies to keep records and register projects, creating a traceable record of installation work that can be checked when needed.

• Reducing business risk: A structured certification and audit process can identify gaps in your systems and workmanship, giving you a more straightforward way to reduce the risk of installation failures.

What does FIRAS certification cover?

FIRAS certification is a modular process, so each company is assessed and certified for specific areas of work. The modules a contractor holds define the scope of work covered by its FIRAS certification.

Currently, FIRAS-certified companies hold more than 2,700 individual modules of certification, covering different types of passive fire protection installation and maintenance work.

These modules can be categorised into five main areas:

How FIRAS certification works: A step-by-step guide

The FIRAS certification process covers eight steps across three broad phases: preparing and applying for certification, completing the required assessments, and working within the FIRAS scheme once certification has been awarded.

Step 1: Check your company’s eligibility

FIRAS certification is intended for companies, not individual installers.

However, not every company is eligible to apply. For your business to meet the scheme’s entry requirements, it should:

• Be registered with Companies House

• Have traded in the fire protection industry for at least six months

• Have completed work on at least four contracts or projects and retained suitable records of that work

• Have at least two employees

• Carry out the installation work itself rather than acting as a main contractor that subcontracts the work to others

• Not be applying as a main contractor to carry out fire protection work on projects where it’s also the principal contractor

• Not be a local authority

Step 2: Submit your FIRAS application

Once you’ve confirmed that your company is eligible, you can apply for FIRAS online through Warringtonfire.

To apply, you’ll need to:

• Give your company details, including its registered name, address, company structure and Companies House number

• Select the modules you’re applying for, based on the types of fire protection work your company carries out

• List the employees who require FIRAS assessment

• Provide details of your experience and activities, including the approximate value of passive fire protection work you undertake

• Add relevant memberships and certifications, such as ASFP membership or other third-party certification schemes

• Explain why you’re applying (e.g., to meet a tender requirement or to expand your company’s activities)

• Provide your main contact details so FIRAS can communicate with you about the application

After Warringtonfire receives your application, the FIRAS team will review the information and provide a quotation along with suggested dates for the assessment.

Step 3: Pass the office management systems assessment

The first assessment takes place at your offices and looks at how your business manages fire protection work. This includes areas like:

• Managing enquiries and quotations

• Assigning and tracking project references

• Awarding projects

• Procuring, storing, and handling products

• Maintaining project files

• Recording installation details and supporting evidence

• Overseeing quality control, inspections, and handovers

• Keeping staff training and competency records

• Managing subcontractor and employee information

The aim is to show that you have a reliable system for controlling your work, from winning a project to installation and handover.

Pro tip:

While you don’t need dedicated passive fire protection software to pass the FIRAS office assessment, a structured digital system like Onetrace can make it much easier to manage the records and evidence the scheme expects to see.

Onetrace helps contractors and subcontractors manage installations, inspections, project records, and compliance evidence in one place. This centralised approach allows you to keep information organised and ready for audits, even as your projects and workforce grow.

Step 4: Demonstrate your on-site workmanship

Once the office assessment is satisfactory, FIRAS carries out a site audit at a selected project. The assessment relates to the modules you’ve applied for, so the work reviewed should reflect the types of fire protection your company wants to certify.

FIRAS reviews the project documentation alongside completed installation work on site. This gives the assessor a chance to check that the systems and procedures demonstrated in the office are being put into practice on real projects.

Step 5: Complete your installer and supervisor competence assessments

The final part of the initial assessment focuses on the people carrying out and supervising the work. Your installation and supervisory staff need to demonstrate that they have the technical knowledge and practical skills required for the modules you’re seeking certification for.

For the initial assessment, you select at least one supervisor or working supervisor and one technician per module or product type. The exact assessment depends on the role:

• Supervisors complete multiple-choice questions and a quality control review of a completed installation.

• Working supervisors complete the same checks, alongside a practical installation assessment.

• Technicians complete a practical installation and answer verbal questions to demonstrate their understanding of correct installation methods.

These are witness assessments, meaning FIRAS verifies the individual carrying out the relevant tasks.

The company remains responsible for ensuring that its installation staff are appropriately trained and competent for the work they undertake, as FIRAS itself is a certification scheme, not a training provider.

Step 6: Receive your FIRAS certification

Once all three assessment stages are complete, FIRAS management reviews the results and decides whether to award certification. If approved, you’ll receive a FIRAS certificate setting out your company’s certification scope and expiry date.

Your company will also be added to the FIRAS online register, where clients and other industry stakeholders can check your status and see the areas of work you’re certified to carry out.

Step 7: Register your projects with FIRAS

After being certified, you must register every contract involving passive fire protection work with FIRAS through its online Maintenance Suite.

Each project is recorded as a Contract in Hand (CIH) and starts with key details like the site address and the products being installed. You can then add information as the project progresses.

Registering projects is important because FIRAS uses the CIH register to select projects for random surveillance audits. If a project hasn’t been registered, it can’t be certified under the FIRAS scheme.

Step 8: Maintain your certification through ongoing surveillance

FIRAS certification isn’t a one-off assessment. Once certified, you’re subject to ongoing surveillance to check whether your company continues to work in line with the scheme requirements.

FIRAS carries out routine office audits and randomly selects registered projects for site surveillance. These audits can include:

• Reviewing project files and a sample of completed work

• Checking installation and supporting evidence

• Assessing the competence of existing and new staff

• Inspecting quality control records and site documentation

Your site files should contain the information needed to demonstrate that the work has been properly specified, installed, and checked. This includes method statements, the required fire performance rating, installation guides, and product safety data sheets.

Remember that surveillance audits are sample-based checks, not inspections of every project you undertake. You remain responsible for maintaining the required standards across all your work, whether or not a particular project is selected for auditing.

How Onetrace can help you prepare for and maintain FIRAS certification

Onetrace was initially built for passive fire protection contractors, which gave it a practical understanding of the evidence, quality control, and traceability challenges that come with fire-stopping work. That specialist background puts it in a strong position to support the processes FIRAS-certified contractors need to manage.

With Onetrace, you can:

• Standardise installation and inspection records: Create digital forms with mandatory fields, checklists, photos, and other required information so teams record work consistently across projects.

• Capture photographic evidence: Record installation evidence against specific locations and jobs, creating a traceable audit trail of completed work.

• Keep project documentation together: Store RAMS, product data sheets, certificates, specifications, and other project files in one structured location, making records easier to find for audits.

• Track materials and specifications: Record the products used on each job and link them to the relevant project information, helping maintain an accurate record of what was installed.

• Build quality checks into your workflow: Use approval stages to review completed work, reject issues, and record corrective actions before work moves on.

• Create audit-ready reports: Pull together project data and evidence into structured PDF or Excel reports for clients, auditors, and internal quality checks.

• Keep a traceable history of work: Use location-based records and QR codes to link physical work to its digital history, making it easier to retrieve installation and inspection information later.

These features facilitate a more consistent approach to managing evidence and quality during all your projects, not just when you’re preparing for a FIRAS assessment or audit.

To learn more about these features and how they can support your FIRAS preparation, compliance, and ongoing certification, schedule a tailored software walkthrough with the Onetrace team.

FAQ

Where can I get certified for fire stopping in the UK?

There are several fire stopping certification schemes in the UK, including FIRAS and BM TRADA. If you’re looking for a third-party certified fire-stopping contractor scheme, the right option depends on the scope of work you undertake and the requirements of your clients or tenders, so check the relevant scheme’s certification scope before applying.

Is FIRAS mandatory?

No. FIRAS is a voluntary third-party certification scheme, rather than a legal requirement. However, some clients, main contractors, or tenders may require contractors to hold third-party certification like FIRAS.

Are BM TRADA and FIRAS the same?

No. BM TRADA and FIRAS are separate certification schemes operated by different organisations. Both provide third-party assurance of competence, but their scopes and certification requirements differ.