Level 5 Extended Diploma in Fire Safety Engineering – Two Years (240 Credits)

This qualification includes fourteen key topics designed to develop specialist fire safety engineering knowledge and technical competence:

1. Fire Science and Engineering Fundamentals: Understanding combustion, heat transfer, fire development, products of combustion, fire behaviour, and fundamental fire engineering principles.

2. Fire Safety Legislation and Regulatory Frameworks: Understanding the Building Regulations, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, relevant legislation, British Standards, technical guidance, and the relationship between statutory requirements and professional guidance.

3. Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Safety Management: Identifying fire hazards, evaluating risk, determining appropriate control measures, preparing risk assessments, and developing fire safety management arrangements.

4. Fire Dynamics and Smoke Movement: Analysing fire growth, smoke production, smoke movement, heat release, compartment behaviour, and conditions affecting life safety.

5. Construction Technology and Fire Performance: Understanding building construction, structural systems, construction methods, materials, compartmentation, and the effect of construction decisions on fire safety.

6. Passive Fire Protection Systems: Evaluating compartment walls, floors, doors, fire stopping, fire-resisting construction, penetration protection, and other passive fire protection measures.

7. Active Fire Protection Systems: Understanding detection and alarm systems, sprinklers, suppression systems, firefighting installations, emergency lighting, and associated fire protection technologies.

8. Means of Escape and Evacuation Engineering: Applying principles of escape design, occupant characteristics, travel distances, evacuation strategies, accessibility, and life-safety assessment.

9. Smoke Control and Fire Safety Ventilation: Understanding smoke extraction, smoke reservoirs, pressurisation, natural and mechanical smoke control, and fire safety ventilation strategies.

10. Structural Fire Engineering: Evaluating structural response to fire, fire resistance, thermal effects, structural stability, and the interaction between structural design and fire safety.

11. Fire Safety Engineering Calculations and Modelling: Applying engineering calculations, risk-based methods, fire modelling concepts, technical data, and appropriate software-based analysis to fire safety problems.

12. Fire Safety Inspection, Audit, and Compliance: Conducting fire safety inspections and audits, evaluating compliance, identifying deficiencies, preparing reports, and recommending corrective actions.

13. Fire Safety Design and Project Coordination: Developing fire safety design solutions, coordinating with architects and engineers, interpreting drawings and specifications, and managing fire safety requirements through the building life cycle.

14. Advanced Fire Safety Engineering Project: Applying research, engineering analysis, risk evaluation, and professional judgement to develop and justify a fire safety engineering solution.

• Develops specialist competence in fire science, fire risk assessment, fire protection, smoke control, evacuation, and structural fire safety.

• Strengthens technical capability in fire safety engineering calculations, modelling, compliance evaluation, and engineering-based risk control.

• Enhances career opportunities across fire safety consultancy, construction, engineering, facilities management, fire and rescue, building compliance, and safety sectors.

• Builds practical understanding of UK fire safety legislation, Building Regulations, British Standards, technical guidance, and professional fire safety practice.

• Provides a strong foundation for progression to Level 6 fire safety engineering, fire engineering degree-level study, professional development, and specialist fire safety qualifications.

• Individuals seeking advanced technical careers in fire safety engineering and building fire safety.

• Fire safety inspectors, fire safety advisors, building professionals, and technical personnel seeking specialist fire engineering knowledge.

• Engineers, construction professionals, facilities personnel, and safety practitioners involved in fire risk, building design, protection systems, and regulatory compliance.

• Learners progressing from Level 3 or Level 4 fire safety, engineering, construction, or protective-services qualifications toward advanced fire engineering study.

• Assessment Format: Written examinations, fire risk assessments, technical calculations, building-plan analysis, case studies, inspection exercises, engineering design assignments, technical reports, and an advanced fire safety engineering project.

• Total Questions: 100

• Passing Score: 60%

• Duration: 3 Hours for written examinations, with practical, design, inspection, and project assessments completed according to the assessment schedule.

• Certification: HiQual UK Level 5 Extended Diploma in Fire Safety Engineering

To deliver this Qualification, HiQual UK Approved ATPs must demonstrate the capability to deliver, assess, and internally quality assure qualifications in line with recognised regulatory principles and the expectations of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Approved centres must operate effective systems to ensure the validity, reliability, fairness, consistency, and security of assessment.

1. Centre Recognition and Legal Compliance

Centres must be formally recognised by HiQual UK prior to the delivery or assessment of any qualification. To maintain recognition, centres must: Be a legally constituted organisation operating in compliance with applicable legislation and regulatory requirements. Demonstrate effective governance, management oversight, and clear lines of accountability. Comply with all HiQual UK policies, procedures, and conditions of centre recognition. Notify HiQual UK promptly of any material changes that may affect delivery, assessment, or internal quality assurance arrangements.

2. Resources, Facilities, and Learning Environment

Centres must ensure that sufficient and appropriate resources are in place to support learning and assessment. This includes: Learning environments appropriate to the mode of delivery, including classrooms and, where applicable, specialist or practical facilities. Access to learning and assessment resources that enable learners to meet qualification outcomes. Secure systems for managing learner data, assessment records, and certification claims. Arrangements that support equality of access and reasonable adjustments for learners where required.

3. Staff Competence and Occupational Expertise

Centres must ensure that all staff involved in delivery, assessment, and internal quality assurance are competent and suitably qualified. Centres must: Appoint tutors with appropriate subject knowledge, teaching competence, and relevant occupational or professional experience. Ensure assessors are trained and competent in applying HiQual UK assessment requirements and standards. Appoint a qualified Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) responsible for monitoring assessment practice and decisions. Maintain records of staff qualifications, experience, training, and continuing professional development (CPD).

4. Assessment Practice and Internal Quality Assurance (IQA)

Centres must operate robust internal quality assurance systems to ensure assessment integrity. Centres must: Ensure assessment is valid, fit for purpose, and conducted in line with HiQual UK requirements. Implement effective IQA procedures to monitor assessor performance and confirm the consistency of assessment decisions. Maintain accurate, complete, and auditable records of learner registration, assessment evidence, and outcomes. Carry out regular internal reviews and standardisation activities to support continuous improvement.

5. Integrity, Risk Management, and Malpractice

Centres must take appropriate measures to protect the integrity of assessment. Centres must: Maintain policies and procedures for the prevention, identification, and management of malpractice and maladministration. Ensure secure handling, storage, and retention of assessment materials and learner evidence. Report any suspected or confirmed malpractice to HiQual UK in accordance with published procedures.

6. Health, Safety, Safeguarding, and Learner Protection

Centres must provide a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. Centres must: Comply with applicable health and safety and safeguarding legislation. Conduct risk assessments for learning activities, particularly where practical or technical work is involved. Maintain procedures to safeguard learner welfare and wellbeing.

7. Learner Information, Support, and Fair Treatment

Centres must ensure learners are informed, supported, and treated fairly. Centres must: Provide clear and accurate information on programme requirements, assessment methods, and certification. Ensure learners receive timely and constructive feedback on assessment outcomes. Operate transparent complaints and appeals procedures aligned with HiQual UK requirements. Manage learner information securely in compliance with data protection legislation.

Successful learners who achieve the HiQual UK Level 5 Extended Diploma in Fire Safety Engineering may progress to:

HiQual UK Level 6 Diploma in Fire Safety Engineering, Fire Engineering, Building Safety Engineering, or another related Level 6 qualification.

Higher education programmes such as BSc/BEng Fire Engineering, Fire Safety Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related degree programmes, subject to the entry and credit-recognition requirements of the receiving institution.

Degree-level professional pathways in Fire Safety Engineering are particularly relevant because the UK National Careers Service identifies foundation degrees and degrees in fire engineering as routes into the fire safety engineer profession, while also identifying HNC/HND engineering study as a possible route into trainee fire engineer employment followed by further specialist training. National Careers Service

Professional qualifications and specialist development in areas such as fire risk assessment, fire engineering science, fire investigation, passive fire protection, active fire protection, fire safety inspection, smoke control, evacuation analysis, and building fire safety.

Further professional development with organisations including the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). The IFE currently publishes Level 4 specialist qualifications including the Level 4 Diploma in Fire Science and Fire Safety and Level 4 Certificates in Fire Engineering Science and Fire Risk Assessment, while its current Level 5 offering includes a Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment. IFE

Employment or career advancement in roles including Fire Safety Engineer Technician, Fire Safety Advisor, Fire Safety Inspector, Fire Risk Assessor, Fire Protection Technician, Fire Safety Design Technician, Building Fire Safety Coordinator, or Fire Engineering Assistant, subject to employer requirements and relevant professional competence.