Field           Engineering and Technology

 

Registration of skill standard 41266 and review of unit standards for Passive Fire Protection

 

Subfield

Domain

ID

Mechanical Engineering

Passive Fire Protection

26422, 29157, 31915, 31916

 

Manufacturing and Engineering Industry Skills Board has completed the review of the four unit standards listed above and the development of one new skill standard listed below.

 

Date new versions published                                                                                                      March 2026

 

Planned review date                                                                                               December 2030

 

Summary

 

Hanga-Aro-Rau Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics Workforce Development Council consulted with employers, representatives from the Fire Protection Association New Zealand and training providers to review passive fire protection qualifications. A technical advisory group met online from June to November 2025 to develop a new skill standard to support the new elective strand in complex installation in the New Zealand Certificate in Passive Fire Protection Systems (Level 4) with strands in Routine Compliance Inspections, Construction Monitoring, and Advanced Installation [Ref: 2581]. To ensure training in passive fire protection installation progresses coherently from Level 3 to 4, Level 3 passive fire unit standards were also reviewed. This review was undertaken before the scheduled unit standard review date and ensures subsequent reviews of passive fire qualifications and standards will be aligned. All changes were made in close consultation with industry stakeholders.

 

Responsibility for these standards was transferred from Hanga-Aro-Rau to the Manufacturing and Engineering Industry Skills Board to reflect the VET reforms.

 

Main changes

·     Guidance information, outcomes, performance criteria, and range statements were updated where required to reflect current industry practice and terminology.

·     Unit standard 26422 was increased from Level 3 to 4 in response to industry feedback that this is the appropriate level for content on compliance inspection. Purpose statement was updated to align with unit standard content. Performance criteria 3.3 and 3.4 were moved into a new outcome 4 to provide clarity of intent.

·     Unit standard 31915 title was updated to better reflect unit standard content and a new performance criterion 1.3 was added as it is considered required knowledge for passive fire protection installation.

·     Unit standard 31916 title and purpose statement were updated to align with unit standard content. New performance criteria 2.1 and 2.7 were added to provide clear guidelines around installation of passive fire products. Outcomes 2 and 3 were merged into one outcome (outcome 2) due to overlapping content. Performance criterion 4.3 was removed as stakeholder feedback identified it may not be achievable for all learners.

·     Unit standard 29157 purpose statement was updated to align with unit standard content.

·     Skill standard 41266 was developed to support a new elective strand in Advanced Installation.

 

The last date for assessment of superseded versions of Category B unit standards is December 2027.

 

Impact on existing organisations with consent to assess

 

Current consent for

Consent extended to

Nature of consent

Classification or ID

Level

Nature of consent

Classification or ID

Level

Standard

26422

3

Standard

26422

4

 

Impact on Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR)

 

The unit standards were moved from CMR 0013 to CMR 0014.

 

Detailed list of unit standards – classification, title, level, and credits

 

All changes are in bold.

 

Key to review category

A

Dates changed, but no other changes are made - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number

B

Changes made, but the overall outcome remains the same - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number

C

Major changes that necessitate the registration of a replacement standard with a new ID

D

Standard will expire and not be replaced

 

Engineering and Technology > Mechanical Engineering > Passive Fire Protection

ID

Title

Level

Credit

Review Category

26422

Demonstrate knowledge of passive fire protection

3

4

10

B

29157

Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of passive fire protection systems

3

4

B

31915

Demonstrate knowledge of passive fire protection system elements and products, and installation practices

Demonstrate knowledge of passive fire protection systems, roles and responsibilities, and installation practices

3

10

B

31916

Install compliant passive fire protection building elements and products

Install compliant passive fire protection systems

3

35

B

41266

Install complex compliant passive fire protection systems and complete internal quality checks

4

40

NEW