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

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?

2. What legal obligations apply?

3. What documentation do you complete?

4. 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:

1. Do you reject the material? Why?
2. 2. Which UK regulations apply to material fire performance?
3. 3. What risks does Class E pose to corridor evacuation?
4. 4. 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

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?
• 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

• You must decide:
• 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)

While walking the site, you notice a contractor performing hot work (grinding) near stacked timber boards. There is:

• 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:

1. Do you stop the work immediately? Why?
2. What UK regulatory duties apply to controlling ignition sources?
3. What documentation must be completed?
4. What controls are mandatory before hot work resumes?
   Relevant