It's time to rethink third-party certification

Andrew Hutchison of United Kingdom Testing & Certification (UKTC) led a presentation and open-floor discussion around the problems with existing third-party certification schemes at this year’s Fire Safety Event. The session was part of UKTC’s Fire Test Experience area which also hosted immersive presentations centred around testing and fire safety.

The presentation offered an opportunity for existing passive fire product manufacturers to think about their existing third-party scheme and if it was delivering on their requirements. The findings of the discussion echoed the research that UKTC had conducted at the previous year’s event where it was discovered that…

• 82% of 2024 Fire Safety Event attendees that we asked value clear & transparent criteria alongside regular testing as the most important requirements of third-party certification.

• 60% of 2024 Fire Safety Event attendees that we asked encountered issues with their existing provider.

• More than 75% of Fire Safety Event attendees that we asked assess the credibility of a certification body through their UKAS accreditation status and compliance with regulations.

The Future of Third-Party Certification: UKTC ensure

Following the discussion, Andrew presented UKTC’s solution to the issues facing the industry – UKTC ensure.

Our new UKAS accredited third-party certification scheme has been developed by industry-leading experts following the feedback from manufacturers and guidance from the government.

UKTC ensure is the first third-party certification scheme designed to integrate with the golden thread and creates a single source of truth for fire door manufacturers. Combining a streamlined certification process, easy-to-follow scheme rules and an innovative approach to hosting information, UKTC ensure will give fire door manufacturers a competitive advantage and keep them up to date with regulatory changes. Applications are now open and it is recommended to apply as soon as possible due to high demand.

Additional UKTC ensure schemes are already in development to incorporate more passive fire products.

Book a demonstration

Demonstrations of the scheme are now available by simply clicking here and booking a meeting directly with UKTC’s Certification Manager, Ian Laithwaite.

To receive a copy of the full presentation from the Fire Safety Event 2025, complete this form.