The Engineering Council is firmly committed to building on existing work around competence and the need for relevant bodies to work together to deliver improvement, as recommended by the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt. The Engineering Council notes new recommendations that recognise the essential role of engineers in fire safety, as well as the crucial importance of competence and of maintaining competence through Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Having been part of the Working Group on competence[1] set up in response to the interim report, the Engineering Council will continue to work with other relevant bodies as part of the Industry Response Group. This group will develop a proposal to government, as recommended by the Review, for an overarching competence authority that provides oversight of competence requirements and supports the delivery of competent people working on higher-risk residential buildings (HRRBs)[2].

The Review recommends that this proposal should identify the role of competence frameworks for individuals and how these should be monitored and accredited. The Engineering Council already works closely with the Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) to develop and implement appropriate standards and competences, and a contextualised standard for electricians (at Engineering Technician level), many of whom are involved in working on high-rise and complex buildings, is in place. One of the proposals identified in the Review is that the relevant PEIs should work with the Engineering Council to develop a contextualised standard for Chartered and Incorporated engineers working on HRRBs and we are taking this forward.

The Review also identifies examples of good practice in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), which is essential to ensure levels of competence remain relevant. All Engineering Council registrants are assessed against an internationally-recognised standard and commit to carrying out CPD when they become registered, ensuring they maintain and enhance their competence.

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For press enquiries:    

Kate Webster, Engineering Council – kwebster@eng.org.uk, 020 3206 0567

The Engineering Council holds the national Register of Engineering Technicians (EngTech), Incorporated Engineers (IEng), Chartered Engineers (CEng) and Information and Communication Technology Technicians (ICTTech). It also sets and maintains the internationally recognised standards of competence and ethics that govern the award and retention of these titles. By this means it is able to ensure that employers, government and wider society, both at home and overseas, can have confidence in the skills and commitment of registrants. For more information visit: www.engc.org.uk

[1] Working Group 4: Competence, as listed in Appendix G2 of the Review

[2] HRRBs are defined in the Review as multi-occupancy higher risk residential buildings that are 10 storeys or more in height.