ProQual Level 5 Diploma: Fire Safety Scenario Insights
Task Purpose
The purpose of this Scenario-Based Decision-Making Task is to help learners develop professional judgement, critical thinking, and practical fire-safety decisionmaking skills that are essential for real workplace responsibilities in the UK fire safety sector.
This task enables learners to:
Apply UK statutory fire safety requirements
(Learning Outcome 1)
Learners will interpret situations using UK legislation including:
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Building Regulations 2010 (Approved Document B)
- Fire Safety Act 2021
- Building Safety Act 2022
- Relevant British Standards
Use these examples to support your written answers in your main portfolio tasks, e.g., plan reviews, statutory requirements assessments, and material evaluation.
Assess design-related fire risks
(Learning Outcome
2) By responding to realistic scenarios, learners will evaluate:
- Escape routes
- Compartmentation
- Travel distances
- Structural fire protection
- Building layout and design flaws
Evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of materials
(Learning Outcome
3) Learners will make decisions related to
- Euroclass fire ratings
- Material combustibility
- Fire door components • External wall systems • Internal linings
What this task develops:
- Professional decision-making in uncertain or urgent conditions
- Ability to identify priorities and immediate fire safety risks
- Understanding of legal roles and responsibilities (Responsible Person, Dutyholder, Accountable Person)
- Ability to justify decisions and corrective actions using UK fire legislation
- Skills in documentation, reporting, escalation, and communication
This task requires learners to interpret realistic workplace scenarios and make justified decisions referencing UK-specific fire laws and regulations
Each scenario below includes:
- Situation description
- Key problems
- Immediate decisions required
- UK legal duties
- What good responses look like (assessor guidance)
SCENARIO 1 — NON-COMPLIANT FIRE DOORS DURING PRE-HANDOVER INSPECTION
Scenario Description (Learner Role: Fire Safety Officer)
You are conducting a final inspection of a commercial office building before the Responsible Person prepares the Fire Risk Assessment for occupation. You discover:
- Several fire doors have been propped open with wedges.
- Intumescent seals on two doors are damaged.
- Some doors are missing “Fire Door Keep Shut” signage.
- Contractors say: “We will remove the wedges once the building opens.”
Your Decision-Making Task
You must decide
- What immediate actions must you take?
- What legal obligations apply?
- What documentation do you complete?
- What instructions do you give to the contractor or Responsible Person?
Relevant UK Regulations
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — Articles 8 & 17 (maintenance of fire precautions)
- Building Regulations 2010 – Approved Document B (fire door requirements)
- BS 8214 (fire door assemblies)
Assessor Guidance / Expected Learner Decisions
- Require all wedges to be removed immediately.
- Fire doors must be inspected and repaired, seals replaced.
- Note defects on a Fire Door Non-conformance Report.
- Inform Responsible Person duties under FSO (Article 17).
- Verify self-closing devices work.
- No handover until compliance is demonstrated.
SCENARIO 2 — DISCOVERY OF UNSAFE MATERIALS DURING REFURBISHMENT
Scenario Description (Learner Role: Site Engineer)
You review material delivery documents for a school refurbishment. The contractor has ordered Class E wall lining panels, which do not comply with minimum reaction-to-fire requirements for escape routes in educational buildings.
The supplier claims: “These materials are cheaper and we have used them before.”
Your Decision-Making Task
You must decide:
- Do you reject the material? Why?
- Which UK regulations apply to material fire performance?
- What risks does Class E pose to corridor evacuation?
- What alternative actions or materials do you specify?
Relevant UK Regulations
- Approved Document B — internal lining classifications
- Euroclass system (EN 13501-1)
- Fire Safety Act 2021 — materials affecting structure/escape routes considered in FRA
Assessor Guidance / Expected Learner Decisions
- Reject the material and prevent installation.
- Acknowledge that Class E increases fire growth and smoke production.
- Specify minimum Class B-s3,d0 or better for school corridors (ADB requirement).
- Raise a Material Non-Compliance Report and notify project manager.
- Update site records and ensure procurement change is documented.
SCENARIO 3 — POOR FIRE SAFETY DESIGN IDENTIFIED DURING PLAN REVIEW
Scenario Description (Learner Role: Design Reviewer)
You are evaluating architectural plans for a warehouse. You notice:
- The travel distance from the farthest point to the nearest exit is 38 metres, exceeding limits for high-fire-load industrial buildings.
- No smoke ventilation is included for the mezzanine level.
- Only one exit serves an area where flammable liquids are stored.
Your Decision-Making Task
You must decide:
- What elements of the design must be changed?
- . Which UK regulations apply to travel distance and exit capacity?
- How do this design flaws increase risk? 4. What instructions do you return to the architect?
Relevant UK Regulations
- Building Regulations 2010 — ADB (Volumes 2)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (means of escape)
- BS 9999 (differentiated travel distances)
Assessor Guidance / Expected Learner Decisions
- Require an additional exit or relocation of hazardous storage
- Travel distances must be reduced below maximum ADB/BS 9999 requirements.
- Add mechanical/natural smoke ventilation for mezzanine.
- Return plans with official comments attached.
SCENARIO 4 — SMOKE SPREAD RISK IN AN APARTMENT BLOCK
Scenario Description (Learner Role: Building Safety Officer)
During a site inspection of a residential building, you observe:
- Lift shaft doors not adequately sealed
- Stairwell lobby doors do not self-close
- Ventilation system in corridors appears to recirculate air rather than extract smoke
- Tenants have raised complaints about “smoke smells” traveling between floors
Your Decision-Making Task
- What immediate fire safety risks exist?
- Which legal frameworks apply to residential smoke control?
- What instructions do you issue to the Responsible Person?
- What follow-up documentation do you prepare?
Relevant UK Regulations
- Fire Safety Act 2021 — structure, external walls, doors
- Building Safety Act 2022 — dutyholders for high-risk buildings
- Approved Document B — smoke control and lobby protection
- BS 9991 — fire safety for residential buildings
Assessor Guidance / Expected Learner Decisions
- Highlight loss of containment of smoke—critical issue. Require repair of lobby doors, sealing of lift doors, investigation of HVAC system.
- Issue formal Fire Safety Action Notice.
- Notify Accountable Person under BSA 2022.
- Require enhanced FRA focusing on smoke movement.
SCENARIO 5 — UNSAFE HOT WORK PRACTICES ON CONSTRUCTION SITE
Scenario Description (Learner Role: Site Supervisor)
- No fire watch
- No hot-work permit
- No extinguishers nearby
- Sparks falling on combustible materials
- The contractor says: “We do this all the time; it only takes two minutes
Your Decision-Making Task
You must decide:
- . Do you stop the work immediately? Why?
- What UK regulatory duties apply to controlling ignition sources?
- What documentation must be completed?
- What controls are mandatory before hot work resumes?
Relevant UK Regulations
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — ignition source control
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM)
- Joint Fire Code / Industry hot-work permit systems
Assessor Guidance / Expected Learner Decisions
- Stop work immediately due to imminent risk.
- Require Hot Work Permit, fire watch, segregation, removal of combustibles.
- Ensure extinguishers are within 5–10 metres.
- Log incident in the Site Fire Logbook and H&S records.