CODE OF ETHICS &
CANADIAN TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION
 

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www.firetechs.net

The Fire Technicians Network is a Canadian Registered Non-profit Association of like minded professionals operating in Canada.  The founding Board of Directors comprises three committed Canadian life safety professionals:

Frank Kurz - Founder & Executive Director

Brian Stegavig - Founding Director

Arkady Tsisserev, P.Eng. - Founding Director

Collectively we have long recognized a number of simple facts:

1.  The life safety equipment service industry is not being properly and professionally regulated.

2.  The lack of knowledge of the Standards and Codes as they apply to building life safety systems inspection and testing, which is being demonstrated by a growing number of technicians across Canada, represents a genuine danger to the public.

3.  Individuals engaged in the inspection and testing of life safety systems require unrestricted access to knowledge, training and professional interaction in order to maintain their competence and raise the bar on their Professional Practice.

4.  The imposition of monetary fines for individuals found performing substandard practice results in an adversarial relationship that hampers meaningful and productive engagement.  FTN Members are instead engaged in a peer review process that identifies the areas of improvement necessary to achieve the Certification Programme’s expectations and goals.  The resulting personal success plan may include additional training, structured professional development and a period of ongoing supervision.

5.  Individuals who lack professional integrity, or whom reject a reasonable formal review of their practice, must be identified and barred from servicing life safety equipment in Canada.

Membership in our association is voluntary and not a right.

If this strikes a chord within you, we are looking to add additional board members from jurisdictions across Canada this year (2021).  Please email us at tech@firetechs.net, or use the Contact Us! link located above.

Mission and Objective

The protection of the public is our association’s primary mission and our highest purpose. 

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

1.  Members shall diligently apply themselves to the acquisition of knowledge, to its further dissemination and rigorous application through practical endeavour.

2.  Members shall apply the published referenced Codes and Standards in their area of expertise and jurisdiction which are considered to be the minimum expected performance, inspection and testing criteria. 

3.  Members shall ensure that any required inspection or test report submitted to the building owner(s) and/or their authorized representative(s) is based on the approved format as reviewed and provided by the Network.

4.  Members shall comport themselves in an honest, straight forward and professional manner both as representatives of the Fire Technicians Network and the larger community of fire equipment service industry providers they may represent. 

5.  Members shall only perform work for which they have received formal training and can demonstrate competence through actual experience. 
NOTE:  Minimum certification criteria has been established by the Network which the member is responsible to achieve within the time frames that have been established in the Practice Guideline and/or in their personal professional development plan.

6.  Members certified by the Network shall be subject to Periodic Practice Reviews (PPR).

7.  Members undergoing review shall cooperate with the assigned reviewer in providing documentation, reports, equipment and materials as required to ensure compliance with the applicable Codes and Standards, and the Practice Guideline.

8.  Members must support the goals, objectives, and mission of the Fire Technicians Network at all times in any interaction with members of the Public, other industry (or non-industry) professionals, other Network members, the media, Building Officials, Fire Prevention Officers, and other jurisdictional authorities.

9.  Members shall document and report the unprofessional practice of anyone engaged in the installation, service, testing, maintenance and inspection of building life safety equipment to the building owner (and/or their authorized representative) and to the local jurisdictional authority forthwith.

10. Members shall document and report unprofessional or substandard practice(s) of other Network Certified Members forthwith.
NOTE:  Failure to do so may result in the suspension of the Member’s professional privileges while they themselves undergo a formal Practice Review in conjunction with the offending Member(s).

Current Canadian Fire Protection Technician Certification

The following table illustrates the current (to May 1, 2021) levels of certification in Canada for technicians and technologists engaged in performing service, maintenance, testing and inspection of building life safety equipment and systems complete with inter-agency cross-reference.  It also serves to identify some significant concerns in the way that technician training, certification, and practice methodologies have failed to recognize the inspection and testing criteria associated with key building components critical to occupant safety.

Canadian Certification Agency References:
ASTTBC - Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia
CFAA - Canadian Fire Alarm Association
DHI - Door and Hardware Institute
ULC - Underwriters Laboratories of Canada

Additional Table Notes:
1.  ASTTBC is only recognized in a limited number of communities in British Columbia (through the adoption of a local Bylaw) and no other Canadian provinces or territories.
2.  ASTTBC’s Fire Alarm Verification (VI) Endorsement is in permanent abeyance.  No further endorsements will be issued.  The endorsement’s acceptance in most jurisdictions in the Province has been largely curtailed through the decision of Mr. Justice Funt of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
3.  CFAA Certified Technicians employed by a manufacturer (or that have participated in manufacturer sponsored training) are often accepted as fire alarm Verifiers by the local jurisdictional authority.  Manufacturer’s training is usually limited to learning to operate the software required to program proprietary equipment, systems and functions.  It rarely involves exposure to any aspect of CAN/ULC-S537 (Standard for Verification of Fire Alarm Systems) or CAN/ULC-S524 (Standard for Installation of Fire Alarm Systems).
4.  Extinguisher annual maintenance and testing is required to be performed by technicians certified in compliance with NFPA 10.  All such accreditation in Canada must be acceptable to the local jurisdictional authority (AHJ) and may require additional certification of the fire protection equipment servicing agency which employs the individually certified technician.
5.  A NED in the form field may imply that the proper testing of the related equipment is not being accomplished in accordance with the National Fire and Building Codes (or local By-laws).  Alternative agencies may be involved in providing the required inspection/testing, usually utilizing special acceptance criteria established by the local jurisdictional authority (AHJ).
6.  It should be noted that a technician with an endorsement which appears in a table field for the related equipment testing and inspection may not be performing the required service or providing the necessary documentation.  It is the building OWNER’s responsibility to ensure life safety equipment is being maintained in a fully operational condition and that acceptable maintenance, service, and testing records are kept available ON SITE for inspection by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).