Accredited Fire Safety Officers To Be Granted Full Authority To Conduct Inspections 

KUCHING, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Accredited Fire Safety Managers or Fire Safety Officers will be granted full authority to conduct internal inspections and prepare technical reports for the renewal of Fire Certificate approvals, without the need for annual physical inspections by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).

JBPM Director-General Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said the move is part of a self-regulated enforcement approach under a new accreditation system that will be fully enforced next year.

“The Fire Safety Manager will be fully responsible for carrying out internal testing and inspections of a building’s fire safety systems and submitting a report to JBPM as the basis for certificate renewal.

“This means we will no longer need to carry out annual physical inspections. However, JBPM will still conduct periodic audits every two to three years to verify the accuracy of the reports,” he told reporters after officiating the Southern Zone Industry Lead Body (ILB) Seminar here today.

He stressed that any individual who fails to comply with fire safety governance or breaches established standards may face strict action, including revocation of accreditation and fines, under the Fire Services Act, which will come into effect on Jan 1, 2026.

He said the shift towards a self-regulatory system is a step forward in empowering the industry in safety compliance while reducing reliance on direct oversight from government agencies.

“This is no small responsibility. Accredited officers must adhere to the standards and guidelines we set. If there is any breach, we will not hesitate to take the necessary action,” he said.

Nor Hisham said the training and accreditation of these officers is being conducted in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and the Department of Skills Development, and to date, more than 600 individuals have registered for the programme.

According to him, JBPM has been appointed as an Industry Lead Body (ILB) by the Human Resources Ministry from 2025 to 2027, making the department responsible for developing training standards, recognising training providers, and coordinating regulatory oversight of accredited fire safety officers.

“Training for Fire Safety Officers will run for three days, while Fire Safety Managers must undergo a five-day course including technical inspection and building evacuation planning components,” he said.

-- BERNAMA