75
members
35%
increase
Record attendance
The Chairman of the RSA, Dean Price, welcomed 75 members to the 2024 AGM held on Thursday 14th March noting that this was a record high attendance.
The RSA Academy Journey so far
The RSA are aiming to become leaders in training for the residential sector and a considerable and concentrated amount of work developing the concept of an RSA Academy continues and it is hoped learners will be enrolling from June. Its success will depend on uptake from RSA members and no delays with the Skills for Justice (SFJ) approvals.
As part of the development of the RSA Academy and the rebranding of the RSA, a new logo has been designed.
The vision for the new L2 award?
The course will be online with a
portfolio-based learning profile using our specially developed online training platform. Installers will only require one day in a virtual classroom; the rest will be on site evidence-based learning along with Unit modules.
The RSA already has Assessors, Workplace Mentors and Internal Auditors in place and all polices have been presented to SFJ; we are now waiting for the SFJ internal audit.
Hot off the press
The SFJ Award Level 2 Certificate in Fire Sprinkler Installation (Domestic & Residential) is now live
Why is the RSA course best suited for the residential sector?
This course has been designed by us, with our members at the heart of our decisions.
Technology is at the heart of it, with bite size learning & assessments utilising an
online training platform vault. All of our Assessors have residential sprinkler sector
experience.
Indicative qualification costs. (Based on 12 learners at a time)
- £595.00 Per Learner
- (experienced installer course in development) costs to be confirmed
- £485.00 Early Bird Offer for the first 50 learners
- £850.00 Non-Members
What impact does this new qualification have on JIB cards?
Once the formal Level 2 qualification is available, the RSA will not be running anymore one day Experienced Learners courses. JIB has approved this move and there is currently no deadline for the old RSA certificate to be removed; JIB will work with the RSA to phase this out.
The RSA has been rebranded
As part of the Chairman’s vision of the future, the association has had a makeover with a new website, logos and branding. The website is still under construction but should be live by May.
With the introduction of new colours and style codes a new series of logos have been created to reflect a consistent and professional visual message.
Only members who have successfully completed the designer courses and passed the final exam will have the right to use the RSA logo featuring the “green tick “.
A logo concept bearing the title Approved Installer has been designed and will be employed over the next year. Installer member companies can achieve approved installer status by complying with the following rules:
- All installers complete the new SFJ Lv2
- All supervisors complete the SFJ Lv3 course
- A certain % of company residential designers must have completed the
Lv3 designer course.
Chairman’s Report
In pursuing Academy status and rebranding working partnerships have been created between the RSA and Martin Wordsworth and also Wendy Otway.
Alongside the creation of the new RSA Academy and the development of the new RSA website, membership has increased by 10 to 54 and three more are pending. Over 100 installers have been trained in the past 12 months and 41 designers attended a refresher course the day after the AGM.
Looking to the next twelve months, our priority is to get the new RSA Academy approved and running Level 2 qualifications with the aim to enrol 50 installers on the new L2 qualification and add 2 x Level 3 qualification to the RSA academy portfolio.
We will also be looking to increase our profile with Building Control offering support and training and creating free resources for them.
We will endeavour to increase our membership by another 10 installers and consider offering affiliated membership with other associations and useful contacts for our sector.
Elections for 2024-2025
Executive Committee
Nigel Chantler
Honorary President
Dean Price
Chair
Steve Griffiths
Vice Chair
Steve Yeoman
Treasurer
Graeme Way
Members Secretary
Andrew Milham
Head of Technical
Tristan Rhodes
Standard representative
Technical Committee
Matt Parker
Gadi Waisel
John Moore
Dusan Markovic
Guy Watson
Jason Stenholm
Adam Pickering
Sherrie Wheeler
Treasurer’s report
Steve Yeoman, Treasurer, delivered the report and accounts noting there was a 15% increase in the bank.
UPS back up
power
BPC Energy advised installers on how to size UPS back up power suppliers and discovered how BPC Energy will help on quotations
The presentation examined locations of UPS systems: the need to consider air flow and room temperatures. Servicing requirements of UPS systems and the expected life span of the batteries were also covered.
GRP Sectional tanks: innovating water storage solutions
Peter Trzebinksi of Balmoral Tanks delivered a comprehensive presentation detailing important aspects of water storage tanks enabling members to gain vital insights as to choice of tank according to application including:
- General construction
- Base details : steels or flat
- Approvals & standards
- Effective capacity: freeboard and deadwater
- How much space is needed
- Space saving
- Engineering solutions
Neil Weston of Keraflo then considered ‘Water Storage Why?’
- To maintain an uninterrupted supply of water to the building
- Firefighting
- Domestic use, cooking, cleaning, washing, drinking & heating
‘And the issues’
- Store too little
- Run out of water
Stagnation is compounded by tanks with a division
- Double the amount of water required
- Pipework has to be equal on the inlet and outlet
- One side is favoured over the other
Peter and Neil went on to consider ‘Solutions’ and summarised by confirming that storing too much water can be an issue particularly with combined sprinkler & domestic tanks as the domestic portion needs to be turned over every 24 hours (HSG274) and both sides of the tank must operate simultaneously and be regularly monitored and checked.
The RSA is committed to becoming a leading training provider and delivering information, training, ideas and technical support to its members.
We also aim to deliver clear and accurate information which will provide decision makers, regulators and project leaders the knowledge to identify and specify the correct and compliant sprinkler products and systems installed to the highest standard by skilled and competent contractors.
How we do it
- Promote, educate, advise and lobby on the benefits of residential fire sprinklers
- Deliver professional and relevant training to the residential & domestic sprinkler sector
- Represent the UK residential fire sprinkler industry at all levels, including British and international standards’ committees
- Benchmark the highest standards in the design and installation process
- Develop and support the technical case for the use of residential fire sprinklers
- Work with the Fire Service, Architects, Building Control and Housing Developers to achieve greater understanding and ensure compliance
