Provide specialist, fire-related information across the built environment to protect people and property from the destructive effects of fire by applying science and engineering principles.
This occupation is found in the construction sector and across the built environment.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide specialist, fire-related information across the built environment to protect people and property from the destructive effects of fire by applying science and engineering principles. Fire Safety Engineers identify risks and design safeguards to aid the prevention, control and mitigation of the effects of fire. Their role is to provide technical advice to develop design solutions within the built environment at various stages of projects.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation will work as part of an integrated team of engineers and other construction or regulatory professionals through all stages of development, design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, modification and decommissioning of the built environment infrastructure. A Fire Safety Engineer may be required to have a broad knowledge base to work across a diverse spectrum of built environment projects including high rise, residential buildings; shopping centres; multi-storey commercial, healthcare buildings; or road and rail tunnels. A Fire Safety Engineer might work in public or private sector organisations, including local authorities, fire and rescue services, central government departments and agencies, engineering consultancy firms, contracting firms, or construction companies. A Fire Safety Engineer will be required to use professional judgement and research-based knowledge to justify and apply guidance or accept departures from recognised guidance documents and to be able to use mathematical and scientific skills to measure and evaluate risks from fire to people, structures and the environment. A Fire Safety Engineer will also contribute towards making improvements to the professional fields of fire safety and fire engineering.
An employee in this occupation will typically have management and supervisory responsibility for a team of technicians, including apprentices.
This is a summary of the key things that you – the apprentice and your employer need to know about your end-point assessment (EPA). You and your employer should read the EPA plan for the full details. It has information on assessment method requirements, roles and responsibilities, and re-sits and re-takes.
An EPA is an assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. It will assess you against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. Your training will cover the KSBs. The EPA is your opportunity to show an independent assessor how well you can carry out the occupation you have been trained for.
Your employer will choose an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) to deliver the EPA. Your employer and training provider should tell you what to expect and how to prepare for your EPA.
The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 60 months. The EPA period is typically 6 months.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate.
The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that you have met any requirements required before you start the EPA. You will only enter the gateway when your employer says you are ready.
The gateway requirements for your EPA are:
For the fire safety engineer, the qualification required is:
Fire Safety Engineering degree (Bachelor of Engineering accredited by the Engineering Council)
Presentation with questions
You will produce and deliver a presentation to an independent assessor. You must submit your presentation slides and any supporting materials to the EPAO by the end of week You have 0 of the EPA period. The presentation and questions will last at least 0 minutes. The independent assessor will ask you at least 0 questions.
Interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
You will have an interview with an independent assessor. It will last at least 75 minutes. They will ask you at least 6 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a professional review report before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions.
Test
You will complete a test with some multiple-choice questions and some long written answer questions. You will complete a test with some multiple-choice questions and some short written answer questions. You will complete a test requiring long and short written answers. It will be open book, meaning you can have access to some books or reference materials.
The test will have 34 multiple-choice and long response written questions. You will have 180 minutes to complete it.
You should speak to your employer if you have a query that relates to your job.
You should speak to your training provider if you have any questions about your training or EPA before it starts.
You should receive detailed information and support from the EPAO before the EPA starts. You should speak to them if you have any questions about your EPA once it has started.Reasonable adjustments
If you have a disability, a physical or mental health condition or other special considerations, you may be able to have a reasonable adjustment that takes this into account. You should speak to your employer, training provider and EPAO and ask them what support you can get. The EPAO will decide if an adjustment is appropriate.
This apprenticeship aligns with Institution of Fire Engineers for Associate or Member (depending on experience)
Please contact the professional body for more details.
This occupation is found in the construction sector and across the built environment.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide specialist, fire-related information across the built environment to protect people and property from the destructive effects of fire by applying science and engineering principles. Fire Safety Engineers identify risks and design safeguards to aid the prevention, control and mitigation of the effects of fire. Their role is to provide technical advice to develop design solutions within the built environment at various stages of projects.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation will work as part of an integrated team of engineers and other construction or regulatory professionals through all stages of development, design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, modification and decommissioning of the built environment infrastructure. A Fire Safety Engineer may be required to have a broad knowledge base to work across a diverse spectrum of built environment projects including high rise, residential buildings; shopping centres; multi-storey commercial, healthcare buildings; or road and rail tunnels. A Fire Safety Engineer might work in public or private sector organisations, including local authorities, fire and rescue services, central government departments and agencies, engineering consultancy firms, contracting firms, or construction companies. A Fire Safety Engineer will be required to use professional judgement and research-based knowledge to justify and apply guidance or accept departures from recognised guidance documents and to be able to use mathematical and scientific skills to measure and evaluate risks from fire to people, structures and the environment. A Fire Safety Engineer will also contribute towards making improvements to the professional fields of fire safety and fire engineering.
An employee in this occupation will typically have management and supervisory responsibility for a team of technicians, including apprentices.
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Research and critically evaluate complex fire engineering systems, products and processes. |
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Duty 2 Apply advanced mathematical, scientific and engineering principles, methods and modelling to the design of fire engineering solutions. |
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Duty 3 Contribute to the planning and assessing of appropriate design solutions and contribute to their refinement, evaluation and quality improvement. |
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Duty 4 Apply appropriate and relevant specialist fire safety guidance and codes of practice. |
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Duty 5 Contribute to the development, assessment and quantification of acceptable alternative solutions where proprietary solutions will not work due to bespoke/unique nature of the built environment. |
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Duty 6 Apply current and relevant legislation. |
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Duty 7 Contribute to production and review of technical fire safety reports following appropriate methodologies. |
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Duty 8 Manage own workload, internal tasks, people and resources to plan and budget and undertake quality assurance. |
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Duty 9 Manage teams and develop staff to meet changing technical and project need within the limit of their responsibility. |
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Duty 10 Communicate complex subjects to technical and non- technical people. |
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Duty 11 Use risk assessment and safe systems of work to keep self and others safe. |
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Duty 12 Undertake specialist fire safety engineering activities in a way that contributes to sustainable development. |
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Duty 13 Carry out and record CPD necessary to maintain and enhance competence in own area of practice. |
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Duty 14 Work within the UK Engineering Council's code of ethics and adhere to the UK Engineering Council’s and other relevant codes of conduct. |
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Duty 15 Undertake fire safety engineering in a way that contributes to safe and effective fire service intervention. |
K1: The mathematical, scientific and engineering principles, methods and modelling that contribute and help to develop the design and construction to create a fire safe and sustainable built and natural environment. The analysis and understanding of fire growth and smoke movement: behaviour of materials in fire, behaviour of structures and people's reaction to fire, limitations of different analytical approaches.
Back to Duty
K2: The first principles of fire engineering including: fire dynamics, smoke dynamics, heat transfer, human behaviour, psychological impact of fire on humans, physiological impacts of fire (tenability), combustion process, products of combustion, structural response.
Back to Duty
K3: Legal and regulatory frameworks, that govern the life cycle of the built environment such as Building Regulations, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order.
Back to Duty
K4: The differences between regulation, statutory guidance, British and European Standard guidance, and guidance produced by others, for example trade bodies.
Back to Duty
K5: The application of the regulatory framework affecting the life cycle of the building from concept design through to occupation and beyond.
Back to Duty
K6: Construction fundamentals including what makes a structure, construction methods and construction types. What designers are involved in the design of a structure (e.g. structures and their component parts), how they fundamentally work together as a system, and key design decision drivers (i.e. sustainability, energy, natural lighting etc.). The different fire hazards that arise from different construction methods (modular, mass timber, timber frame, etc). An understanding of common fire safety defects.
Back to Duty
K7: Fire performance and material classifications (including reaction to fire, fire resistance and surface spread of flame), the test procedures associated with these and the certification process. Limitations of the tests and the applicability and suitability of the tests for the proposed purpose or function. This will include the difference between direct field of application and extended field of applications and limitation of such assessments.
Back to Duty
K8: Principles of both active and passive groups of fire protection systems and the individual systems within both groups. Understanding of the principles to include function and application, cause and effect matrices, cost benefit analysis, interaction between systems, limitations, design freedoms and compensations, their design and use during and after construction.
Back to Duty
K9: The principles, techniques and methodologies of risk assessment used to evaluate the impact of fire safety on life, property and environment in the built environment. This includes the importance and limitations of tools used to measure, enhance or protect welfare, health and safety and sustainability.
Back to Duty
K10: Management and maintenance requirements for different fire safety strategies, systems and the impact these may have on owners and or tenants during the life cycle of the building.
Back to Duty
K11: A range of research techniques used to develop acceptable and safe solutions to fire engineering problems and the use of current and emerging technologies, products and fire safety data and research. Understanding of the use and validation of software, codes and data gathering to model, evaluate, test, build and manage fire safe buildings with an awareness of limitation of software and data.
Back to Duty
K12: Building life cycle management, using acquired knowledge to understand the impact of their design from a commercial and practical viability viewpoint and demonstrate an awareness of fire safety beyond design into construction and occupation. This includes how fire safety measures are specified, constructed and maintained by others.
Back to Duty
K13: Managing teams and developing staff to meet changing technical and managerial needs including reviewing and appraising performance in relation to delivery of fire engineering projects.
Back to Duty
K14: The principles and techniques of effective project management to time cost and quality. Utilising change-management techniques and impacts on project design and delivery. Understanding the design and construction stages, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), building information modelling (BIM) and other project management tools.
Back to Duty
K15: Safe systems of work, their management and application.
Back to Duty
K16: UK Engineering Council’s and other relevant codes of conduct and ethical principles.
Back to Duty
K17: The capabilities and limitations of the fire service and how building design can facilitate safe and effective fire service intervention and prevention. Firefighting objectives that may need to be considered during an operational incident include: firefighter safety; life safety of building users; loss control; business continuity; property and environmental protection.
Back to Duty
K18: The key topics related to sustainable development and how fire safety design methods can impact on these, and where challenges can arise with competing design requirements. Examples include the significance of carbon and climate change; building energy use; material selection; responsible procurement and efficient use of resources during construction; life cycle costing.
Back to Duty
S1: Use and evaluate modelling software including smoke and evacuation models.
Back to Duty
S2: Develop or review, safe, technical solutions to fire safety engineering problems through the use of research techniques, current and emerging technologies, products and innovations as well as best practice. Examples include: ability to use of range of research methods to collect and analyses data to draw well-founded practical conclusions for implementation, applicable research strategy and methodology, literature searches.
Back to Duty
S3: Communicate and provide guidance to others using language to suit the audience through varying methods: design models, calculations, reports, drawings, specifications, presentations, digital media and discussions with those both inside and outside the industry.
Back to Duty
S4: Demonstrate solutions proposed are safe and the level of safety they provide. Critically analyse prescriptive recommendations and alternative solutions, the use of bench-marking, cost and or benefit and sensitivity analysis.
Back to Duty
S5: Present detailed fire safety engineering solutions for concept design and detailed design.
Back to Duty
S6: Coordinate fire safety solutions with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Back to Duty
S7: Review and interpret fire related information such as product certification and test reports, cause and effect information and design detail drawings.
Back to Duty
S8: Carry out and record the continuing professional development necessary to maintain and enhance knowledge and competence as a fire safety engineer.
Back to Duty
S9: Interpret and apply design and quality standards including codes of practice, legal and regulatory frameworks, in the development of fire engineering solutions, Examples include: planning, designing, construction and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure in compliance with current codes, standards and legislation, industry regulations.
Back to Duty
S10: Evaluate the impact of fire safety engineering on society and the environment taking account of business, client and end user needs in its construction, management and use.
Back to Duty
S11: Monitor and manage the planning, budgeting and organisation of tasks, people and resources for projects and change management activities, working to agreed quality standards, project programme and budget, legal, contractual and statutory requirements.
Back to Duty
S12: Apply the principles of teamworking and developing staff across disciplines.
Back to Duty
S13: Develop or review fire safety solutions and be able to objectively review, identify issues, offer alternative solutions or opinions including, fire engineered analysis, means of escape calculations, smoke ventilation calculations, heat transfer calculations and hazard identification and fire risk assessments.
Back to Duty
B1: Adhere to the UK Engineering Council’s code of conduct and ethical principles.
Back to Duty
B2: Promote team work across disciplines.
Back to Duty
B3: Shares good and best practice and actively promotes their use.
Back to Duty
B4: Take responsibility for personal development, demonstrating commitment to learning and self-improvement and be open to feedback.
Back to Duty
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
Level: 6 (integrated degree)
This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
V1.1
This document explains the requirements for end-point assessment (EPA) for the fire safety engineer degree-apprenticeship. End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must follow this when designing and delivering the EPA.
Fire safety engineer apprentices, their employers and training provider should read this document.
A degree-apprenticeship awards a degree with the achievement of the apprenticeship. The degree learning outcomes must be aligned with the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) in the apprenticeship. The degree must be completed, passed and awarded alongside the fire safety engineer degree-apprenticeship.
The apprentice must complete their training and meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA. The EPA will assess occupational competence.
A degree-apprenticeship must be delivered by a Higher Education Provider (HEP) that is on the apprenticeship providers and assessment register (APAR). The selected HEP must be the training provider and the EPAO. The apprentice's employer must select a HEP from this register.
If the HEP is using a credit framework, the EPA must contribute to the total credit value and must be delivered in line with this EPA plan. However, the number of credits devoted to EPA may vary across HEP’s. The recommended EPA contribution is 30 of the total credit value.
A full-time fire safety engineer apprentice typically spends 60 months on-programme. The apprentice must spend at least 12 months on-programme and complete the required amount of off-the-job training in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
This EPA should then be completed within an EPA period lasting typically 6 months.
Occupational competence is outlined by the EPA grade descriptors and determined, when assessed in line with this EPA plan, by an independent assessor who is an occupational expert and confirms the overall EPA grade.
This EPA has 3 assessment methods.
Assessment method 1 - technical report:
Assessment method 2 - professional interview:
Assessment method 3 - exam:
The result from each assessment method is combined to decide the overall degree-apprenticeship grade. The following grades are available for the degree-apprenticeship:
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On-programme - typically 60 months
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The apprentice must:
The qualification required is: Fire Safety Engineering degree (Bachelor of Engineering accredited by the Engineering Council)
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End-point assessment gateway
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The apprentice’s employer must be content that the apprentice is occupationally competent. The apprentice must:
For the professional interview, the apprentice must submit a professional review report.
Gateway evidence must be submitted to the EPAO, along with any organisation specific policies and procedures requested by the EPAO. |
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End-point assessment - typically 6 months
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The grades available for each assessment method are below
Technical report:
Professional interview:
Exam:
Overall EPA and degree-apprenticeship can be graded:
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Professional recognition
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This degree-apprenticeship aligns with:
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The EPA is taken in the EPA period. The EPA period starts when the EPAO confirms the gateway requirements have been met and is typically 6 months.
The EPAO should confirm the gateway requirements have been met and start the EPA as quickly as possible.
The apprentice’s employer must be content that the apprentice is occupationally competent. That is, they are deemed to be working at or above the level set out in the apprenticeship standard and ready to undertake the EPA. The employer may take advice from the apprentice's training provider, but the employer must make the decision. The apprentice will then enter the gateway.
The apprentice must meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA.
They must:
Professional Review Report (PRR) requirements.
Gateway evidence must be submitted to the EPAO, along with any organisation specific policies and procedures requested by the EPAO.
The assessment methods can be delivered in any order.
The result of one assessment method does not need to be known before starting the next.
The technical report is compiled after the apprentice has gone through the gateway. All work that the technical report is based on is completed after the apprentice has gone through the gateway. The technical report should be selected to ensure that it is relevant to the apprentice’s role and allows the relevant KSBs to be demonstrated for the EPA.
This assessment method is being used because:
The technical report must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
An independent assessor must conduct and assess the technical report.
Apprentices must produce a technical report during the EPA period. The report must be produced and submitted to the EPAO within a timescale of 8 weeks from the start of the EPA period. The employer will ensure that the apprentice has sufficient time and necessary resources within this period to complete the report. Typically the apprentice will require 60 hours within the 8 week timeframe in which to complete this task. The report will be produced in response to a brief set by the EPAO, which will be provided to the apprentice at gateway.
The brief will consist of 4 questions covering the following areas:
• fire safety engineering principles
• risk assessment and safety
• application of science and maths
• validation of methods
Whilst the briefs should be varied to ensure they do not become predictable, they should have a typical word count of 500 words, and the combination of the four questions should provide the apprentice with the opportunity to demonstrate the following skills:
• the use of modelling software
• the illustration of fire safety engineering solutions to the appropriate level of detail
• coordinate safety solutions with technical and non-technical people
• demonstrate proposed solutions are safe
The brief must be selected by the EPAO in conjunction with the apprentice’s employer to ensure that it is relevant to their role.
Additionally, the report content must:
• have a total word count of 12,000 words with a tolerance of + or - 10%
• include a validation statement from the employer confirming that it is the apprentice’s own work
• include a validation statement confirming the accuracy of the report, signed by two referees, one of whom can be the employer with at least one registered with the Engineering Council: Eng Tech, IEng or CEng-affiliated. This is required for the professional recognition of the apprenticeship
• not include any self-reflective evidence
The independent assessor must make the grading decision.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
The EPAO must develop purpose-built assessment specifications. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specifications must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the technical report:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.
In the professional interview, an independent assessor asks the apprentice questions. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their professional review report.
This assessment method is being used because:
The professional interview must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
An independent assessor must conduct and assess the professional interview.
The purpose of the interview is to assess the apprentice's competence against the following themes:
The EPAO must give an apprentice 2 weeks' notice of the professional interview.
The independent assessor must have at least 2 weeks to review the supporting documentation.
The apprentice must have access to their professional review report during the professional interview.
The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their professional review report however, the professional review report is not directly assessed.
The professional interview must last for 75 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the time of the professional interview by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to respond to a question if necessary.
The independent assessor must ask at least 6 questions. The independent assessor must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in line with the EPAO’s training. Follow-up questions are allowed where clarification is required.
The apprentice may choose to end the assessment method early. The apprentice must be confident they have demonstrated competence against the assessment requirements for the assessment method. The independent assessor or EPAO must ensure the apprentice is fully aware of all assessment requirements. The independent assessor or EPAO cannot suggest or choose to end the assessment methods early, unless in an emergency. The EPAO is responsible for ensuring the apprentice understands the implications of ending an assessment early if they choose to do so. The independent assessor may suggest the assessment continues. The independent assessor must document the apprentice’s request to end the assessment early.
The independent assessor must make the grading decision.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
The professional interview must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO for example, the EPAO’s or employer’s premises.
The professional interview can be conducted by video conferencing. The EPAO must have processes in place to verify the identity of the apprentice and ensure the apprentice is not being aided.
The professional interview should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.
The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the professional professional interview:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.
An exam is an assessment that consists of a series of questions which apprentices are asked to provide a response to. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skill mapped to this assessment method. This exam will consist of both multiple choice and open response questions.
Open response questions need an extended written response or an evaluative answer.
This assessment method is being used because:
reduces the assessment burden on the apprentice
The exam must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skill mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
The exam can be computer or paper based.
It will be split into two separate papers:
The four open response questions will each cover one of the following themes:
The exam must consist of 34 questions. There must be 0 open response questions and there must be 30 multiple choice questions.
Responses to open response questions may be multiple lines or an approximate word count (such as 100 words).
Multiple-choice questions must have four options, including one correct answer.
The apprentice must be given at least 2 weeks’ notice of the date and time of the exams.
The apprentice must have at total of 180 minutes to complete the exam, 60 minutes for the multiple-choice paper, and 120 minutes to complete the open response paper.
The exam papers can be taken in any order, they do not have to be delivered consecutively or on the same day.
The multiple choice exam is closed book.
The 4 open response questions are open book, with the apprentice allowed to use the materials provided by the EPAO. The EPAO will provide any technical reference documentation required with the paper.
The exam must be taken in the presence of an invigilator who is the responsibility of the EPAO. The EPAO must have an invigilation policy setting out how the test must be conducted. It must state the ratio of apprentices to invigilators for the setting and allow the test to take place in a secure way.
The EPAO must verify the apprentice’s identity and ensure invigilation of the apprentice for example, with 360-degree cameras and screen sharing facilities.
The EPAO must develop a marking scheme for the multiple-choice and written response questions. The exams must be marked by an independent assessor or marker employed by the EPAO. They must follow the marking scheme produced by the EPAO.
Any incorrect or missing answers get zero marks.
For the multiple-choice questions, a correct answer gets 1 mark.
To achieve the exam assessment method, the apprentice needs to pass both the multiple-choice and the open response questions requirements.
The EPAO is responsible for overseeing the marking of the exam. The EPAO must ensure standardisation and moderation of exams.
The apprentice must take the test in a suitably controlled and invigilated environment that is a quiet room, free from distractions and influence. The EPAO must check the venue is suitable.
The exam can take place remotely if the appropriate technology and systems are in place to prevent malpractice.
The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO should maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.
The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.
The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the exam:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.
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Theme
KSBs
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Pass
Apprentices must demonstrate all of the pass descriptors
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Fire safety solutions
K2 K8 K17 S1 S5 S6 |
Uses and evaluates modelling software, including smoke and evacuation models, to present a fire safety engineering solution for concept design and detailed design, demonstrating an understanding of the first principles of fire engineering in line with legislation, regulations and the report brief. (K2, S1, S5) Coordinates fire safety solutions with technical and nontechnical stakeholders, in line with legislation, regulations and the report brief. (S6) Analyses the principles of both active and passive groups of fire protection systems and the individual systems within those groups during and after construction, including function and application, cause and effect matrices, cost benefit analysis, interaction between systems, limitations, design freedoms and compensations, in line with the report brief. (K8) Evaluates the capabilities and limitations of the fire service and firefighting objectives that may need to be considered during an operational incident, and how building design can facilitate safe and effective fire service intervention and prevention, in line with the report brief. (K17) |
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Analysing fire safety recommendations
K1 S4 S13 |
Applies mathematical, scientific and engineering principles, methods and modelling in the critical analysis of fire safety recommendations, identifying issues, hazards and offering alternative solutions, demonstrating proposed solutions are safe. Develops or reviews fire safety solutions and provides an objective review, identifies issues, offers alternative solutions or opinions including fire engineering analysis, means of escape calculations, smoke ventilation calculations, heat transfer calculations and hazard identification and fire risk assessments. Critically analyses prescriptive recommendations and alternative solutions and the impact of fire growth and smoke movement including the use of bench-marking, cost-benefit and sensitivity analysis to show the proposed solutions are safe and the level of safety they provide. (K1, S4, S13) |
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Theme
KSBs
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Pass
Apprentices must demonstrate all of the pass descriptors
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Project and change management
K13 K14 S11 S12 B2 |
Explains how they promote and apply the principles of teamworking to create, maintain and enhance productive internal working relationships, including the development of staff through reviewing and appraising performance, in order to meet changing technical and managerial needs within the delivery of fire engineering projects. (K13, S12, B2) Explains how they monitor and manage the planning, budgeting and organisation of tasks, people and resources for projects and change management activities, working to agreed quality standards, project programme and budgets and legal, contractual and statutory requirements within the delivery of fire engineering principles. (K14, S11)
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Ethics
B1 |
Explains how they adhere to the UK Engineering Council’s code of conduct and ethical principles in their role. (B1) |
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CPD and best practice
K11 S2 S8 B3 B4 |
Explains how they develop or review safe technical solutions to fire safety engineering problems through the use of research techniques, current and emerging technologies, products and innovations, sharing and actively promoting industry good and best practice, in line with regulations and organisational guidelines. (K11, S2, B3) Explains how they manage their own professional development both proactively and in response to feedback, to carry out and record CPD to maintain and enhance their knowledge and competence as a fire safety engineer in line with regulations and organisational guidelines. (B4, S8) |
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Communication
S3 |
Explains how they communicate in line with the organisational guidelines, and provide examples of different communication methods and guidance, including how they have effectively adapted the message to suit the intended audience, both inside and outside of the industry. (S3) |
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Theme
KSBs
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Pass
Apprentices must demonstrate all of the pass descriptors
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Multiple choice test
K3 K4 K5 K7 K9 K10 K12 K15 K16 K18 |
In the multiple choice element of this exam, apprentices must correctly answer a minimum of 25 questions of the 30 available. |
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Reviewing and interpreting fire-related information
S7 |
Reviews and interprets fire-related information to produce a fire safety analysis from a range of information sources, such as product certification and test reports, cause and effect information and design detail drawings. (S7) |
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Developing fire engineering solutions
S9 |
Interprets and applies design and quality standards, including codes of practice and legal and regulatory frameworks, in the development of a fire engineering solution. (S9) |
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Evaluating fire engineering solutions
S10 |
Evaluates the impact of fire safety engineering design options on society and the environment taking account of business, client and end user needs in its construction, management and use. (S10) |
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Construction fundamentals
K6 |
Identifies common fire hazards and fire safety defects that arise in different methods of construction and the construction fundamentals associated with that method including design and key design decision drivers. (K6) |
| Grade | Minimum marks required | Maximum marks required |
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| Fail | 0 | 24 |
| Pass | 25 | 30 |
Performance in the EPA determines the overall grade of:
An independent assessor must individually grade the technical report, professional interview and exam in line with this EPA plan.
The EPAO must combine the individual assessment method grades to determine the overall EPA grade.
If the apprentice fails one assessment method or more, they will be awarded an overall fail.
To achieve an overall pass, the apprentice must achieve at least a pass in all the assessment methods. There is a grading exemption in place for this apprenticeship, so no grade above pass is available. The apprentice must achieve a pass in the multiple choice test and a pass in all four open response questions to achieve a pass in the exam assessment method.
Grades from individual assessment methods must be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA overall.
| Technical report | Professional interview | Exam | Overall Grading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Fail | Any grade | Any grade | Fail |
| Any grade | Fail | Any grade | Fail |
| Any grade | Any grade | Fail | Fail |
If the apprentice fails one assessment method or more, they can take a re-sit or a re-take at their employer’s discretion. The apprentice’s employer needs to agree that a re-sit or re-take is appropriate. A re-sit does not need further learning, whereas a re-take does. The apprentice should have a supportive action plan to prepare for a re-sit or a re-take.
The employer and the EPAO should agree the timescale for a re-sit or re-take. A re-sit is typically taken within 4 months of the EPA outcome notification. The timescale for a re-take is dependent on how much re-training is required and is typically taken within 6 months of the EPA outcome notification.
Failed assessment methods must be re-sat or re-taken within a 6-month period from the EPA outcome notification, otherwise the entire EPA will need to be re-sat or re-taken in full.
The apprentice will get a maximum EPA grade of if pass they need to re-sit or re-take one or more assessment methods.
| Roles | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
|
Apprentice |
As a minimum, the apprentice should:
|
|
Employer |
As a minimum, the apprentice's employer must:
|
|
EPAO - HEP |
As a minimum, the EPAO (HEP) must:
|
|
Training provider - HEP |
As a minimum, the training provider (HEP) must:
|
|
Independent assessor |
As a minimum, an independent assessor must:
|
|
External examiner |
As a minimum, the external examiner must:
|
|
Invigilator |
As a minimum, the invigilator must:
|
|
Marker |
As a minimum, the marker must:
|
The EPAO must have reasonable adjustments arrangements for the EPA.
This should include:
Adjustments must maintain the validity, reliability and integrity of the EPA as outlined in this EPA plan.
Special considerations
The EPAO must have special consideration arrangements for the EPA.
This should include:
Special considerations must maintain the validity, reliability and integrity of the EPA as outlined in this EPA plan.
They must also appoint independent assessors who:
Affordability of the EPA will be aided by using at least some of the following:
This degree-apprenticeship aligns with:
| Knowledge | Assessment methods |
|---|---|
|
K1
The mathematical, scientific and engineering principles, methods and modelling that contribute and help to develop the design and construction to create a fire safe and sustainable built and natural environment. The analysis and understanding of fire growth and smoke movement: behaviour of materials in fire, behaviour of structures and people's reaction to fire, limitations of different analytical approaches. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
K2
The first principles of fire engineering including: fire dynamics, smoke dynamics, heat transfer, human behaviour, psychological impact of fire on humans, physiological impacts of fire (tenability), combustion process, products of combustion, structural response. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
K3
Legal and regulatory frameworks, that govern the life cycle of the built environment such as Building Regulations, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K4
The differences between regulation, statutory guidance, British and European Standard guidance, and guidance produced by others, for example trade bodies. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K5
The application of the regulatory framework affecting the life cycle of the building from concept design through to occupation and beyond. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K6
Construction fundamentals including what makes a structure, construction methods and construction types. What designers are involved in the design of a structure (e.g. structures and their component parts), how they fundamentally work together as a system, and key design decision drivers (i.e. sustainability, energy, natural lighting etc.). The different fire hazards that arise from different construction methods (modular, mass timber, timber frame, etc). An understanding of common fire safety defects. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K7
Fire performance and material classifications (including reaction to fire, fire resistance and surface spread of flame), the test procedures associated with these and the certification process. Limitations of the tests and the applicability and suitability of the tests for the proposed purpose or function. This will include the difference between direct field of application and extended field of applications and limitation of such assessments. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K8
Principles of both active and passive groups of fire protection systems and the individual systems within both groups. Understanding of the principles to include function and application, cause and effect matrices, cost benefit analysis, interaction between systems, limitations, design freedoms and compensations, their design and use during and after construction. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
K9
The principles, techniques and methodologies of risk assessment used to evaluate the impact of fire safety on life, property and environment in the built environment. This includes the importance and limitations of tools used to measure, enhance or protect welfare, health and safety and sustainability. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K10
Management and maintenance requirements for different fire safety strategies, systems and the impact these may have on owners and or tenants during the life cycle of the building. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K11
A range of research techniques used to develop acceptable and safe solutions to fire engineering problems and the use of current and emerging technologies, products and fire safety data and research. Understanding of the use and validation of software, codes and data gathering to model, evaluate, test, build and manage fire safe buildings with an awareness of limitation of software and data. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
K12
Building life cycle management, using acquired knowledge to understand the impact of their design from a commercial and practical viability viewpoint and demonstrate an awareness of fire safety beyond design into construction and occupation. This includes how fire safety measures are specified, constructed and maintained by others. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K13
Managing teams and developing staff to meet changing technical and managerial needs including reviewing and appraising performance in relation to delivery of fire engineering projects. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
K14
The principles and techniques of effective project management to time cost and quality. Utilising change-management techniques and impacts on project design and delivery. Understanding the design and construction stages, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), building information modelling (BIM) and other project management tools. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
K15
Safe systems of work, their management and application. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K16
UK Engineering Council’s and other relevant codes of conduct and ethical principles. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
K17
The capabilities and limitations of the fire service and how building design can facilitate safe and effective fire service intervention and prevention. Firefighting objectives that may need to be considered during an operational incident include: firefighter safety; life safety of building users; loss control; business continuity; property and environmental protection. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
K18
The key topics related to sustainable development and how fire safety design methods can impact on these, and where challenges can arise with competing design requirements. Examples include the significance of carbon and climate change; building energy use; material selection; responsible procurement and efficient use of resources during construction; life cycle costing. Back to Grading |
Exam |
| Skill | Assessment methods |
|---|---|
|
S1
Use and evaluate modelling software including smoke and evacuation models. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
S2
Develop or review, safe, technical solutions to fire safety engineering problems through the use of research techniques, current and emerging technologies, products and innovations as well as best practice. Examples include: ability to use of range of research methods to collect and analyses data to draw well-founded practical conclusions for implementation, applicable research strategy and methodology, literature searches. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
S3
Communicate and provide guidance to others using language to suit the audience through varying methods: design models, calculations, reports, drawings, specifications, presentations, digital media and discussions with those both inside and outside the industry. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
S4
Demonstrate solutions proposed are safe and the level of safety they provide. Critically analyse prescriptive recommendations and alternative solutions, the use of bench-marking, cost and or benefit and sensitivity analysis. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
S5
Present detailed fire safety engineering solutions for concept design and detailed design. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
S6
Coordinate fire safety solutions with technical and non-technical stakeholders. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
|
S7
Review and interpret fire related information such as product certification and test reports, cause and effect information and design detail drawings. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
S8
Carry out and record the continuing professional development necessary to maintain and enhance knowledge and competence as a fire safety engineer. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
S9
Interpret and apply design and quality standards including codes of practice, legal and regulatory frameworks, in the development of fire engineering solutions, Examples include: planning, designing, construction and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure in compliance with current codes, standards and legislation, industry regulations. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
S10
Evaluate the impact of fire safety engineering on society and the environment taking account of business, client and end user needs in its construction, management and use. Back to Grading |
Exam |
|
S11
Monitor and manage the planning, budgeting and organisation of tasks, people and resources for projects and change management activities, working to agreed quality standards, project programme and budget, legal, contractual and statutory requirements. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
S12
Apply the principles of teamworking and developing staff across disciplines. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
S13
Develop or review fire safety solutions and be able to objectively review, identify issues, offer alternative solutions or opinions including, fire engineered analysis, means of escape calculations, smoke ventilation calculations, heat transfer calculations and hazard identification and fire risk assessments. Back to Grading |
Technical report |
| Behaviour | Assessment methods |
|---|---|
|
B1
Adhere to the UK Engineering Council’s code of conduct and ethical principles. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
B2
Promote team work across disciplines. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
B3
Shares good and best practice and actively promotes their use. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
|
B4
Take responsibility for personal development, demonstrating commitment to learning and self-improvement and be open to feedback. Back to Grading |
Professional interview |
| KSBS GROUPED BY THEME | Knowledge | Skills | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fire safety solutions
K2 K8 K17 S1 S5 S6 |
The first principles of fire engineering including: fire dynamics, smoke dynamics, heat transfer, human behaviour, psychological impact of fire on humans, physiological impacts of fire (tenability), combustion process, products of combustion, structural response. (K2) Principles of both active and passive groups of fire protection systems and the individual systems within both groups. Understanding of the principles to include function and application, cause and effect matrices, cost benefit analysis, interaction between systems, limitations, design freedoms and compensations, their design and use during and after construction. (K8) The capabilities and limitations of the fire service and how building design can facilitate safe and effective fire service intervention and prevention. Firefighting objectives that may need to be considered during an operational incident include: firefighter safety; life safety of building users; loss control; business continuity; property and environmental protection. (K17) |
Use and evaluate modelling software including smoke and evacuation models. (S1) Present detailed fire safety engineering solutions for concept design and detailed design. (S5) Coordinate fire safety solutions with technical and non-technical stakeholders. (S6) |
None |
|
Analysing fire safety recommendations
K1 S4 S13 |
The mathematical, scientific and engineering principles, methods and modelling that contribute and help to develop the design and construction to create a fire safe and sustainable built and natural environment. The analysis and understanding of fire growth and smoke movement: behaviour of materials in fire, behaviour of structures and people's reaction to fire, limitations of different analytical approaches. (K1) |
Demonstrate solutions proposed are safe and the level of safety they provide. Critically analyse prescriptive recommendations and alternative solutions, the use of bench-marking, cost and or benefit and sensitivity analysis. (S4) Develop or review fire safety solutions and be able to objectively review, identify issues, offer alternative solutions or opinions including, fire engineered analysis, means of escape calculations, smoke ventilation calculations, heat transfer calculations and hazard identification and fire risk assessments. (S13) |
None |
| KSBS GROUPED BY THEME | Knowledge | Skills | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Project and change management
K13 K14 S11 S12 B2 |
Managing teams and developing staff to meet changing technical and managerial needs including reviewing and appraising performance in relation to delivery of fire engineering projects. (K13) The principles and techniques of effective project management to time cost and quality. Utilising change-management techniques and impacts on project design and delivery. Understanding the design and construction stages, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), building information modelling (BIM) and other project management tools. (K14) |
Monitor and manage the planning, budgeting and organisation of tasks, people and resources for projects and change management activities, working to agreed quality standards, project programme and budget, legal, contractual and statutory requirements. (S11) Apply the principles of teamworking and developing staff across disciplines. (S12) |
Promote team work across disciplines. (B2) |
|
Ethics
B1 |
None |
None |
Adhere to the UK Engineering Council’s code of conduct and ethical principles. (B1) |
|
CPD and best practice
K11 S2 S8 B3 B4 |
A range of research techniques used to develop acceptable and safe solutions to fire engineering problems and the use of current and emerging technologies, products and fire safety data and research. Understanding of the use and validation of software, codes and data gathering to model, evaluate, test, build and manage fire safe buildings with an awareness of limitation of software and data. (K11) |
Develop or review, safe, technical solutions to fire safety engineering problems through the use of research techniques, current and emerging technologies, products and innovations as well as best practice. Examples include: ability to use of range of research methods to collect and analyses data to draw well-founded practical conclusions for implementation, applicable research strategy and methodology, literature searches. (S2) Carry out and record the continuing professional development necessary to maintain and enhance knowledge and competence as a fire safety engineer. (S8) |
Shares good and best practice and actively promotes their use. (B3) Take responsibility for personal development, demonstrating commitment to learning and self-improvement and be open to feedback. (B4) |
|
Communication
S3 |
None |
Communicate and provide guidance to others using language to suit the audience through varying methods: design models, calculations, reports, drawings, specifications, presentations, digital media and discussions with those both inside and outside the industry. (S3) |
None |
| KSBS GROUPED BY THEME | Knowledge | Skills | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Multiple choice test
K3 K4 K5 K7 K9 K10 K12 K15 K16 K18 |
Legal and regulatory frameworks, that govern the life cycle of the built environment such as Building Regulations, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order. (K3) The differences between regulation, statutory guidance, British and European Standard guidance, and guidance produced by others, for example trade bodies. (K4) The application of the regulatory framework affecting the life cycle of the building from concept design through to occupation and beyond. (K5) Fire performance and material classifications (including reaction to fire, fire resistance and surface spread of flame), the test procedures associated with these and the certification process. Limitations of the tests and the applicability and suitability of the tests for the proposed purpose or function. This will include the difference between direct field of application and extended field of applications and limitation of such assessments. (K7) The principles, techniques and methodologies of risk assessment used to evaluate the impact of fire safety on life, property and environment in the built environment. This includes the importance and limitations of tools used to measure, enhance or protect welfare, health and safety and sustainability. (K9) Management and maintenance requirements for different fire safety strategies, systems and the impact these may have on owners and or tenants during the life cycle of the building. (K10) Building life cycle management, using acquired knowledge to understand the impact of their design from a commercial and practical viability viewpoint and demonstrate an awareness of fire safety beyond design into construction and occupation. This includes how fire safety measures are specified, constructed and maintained by others. (K12) Safe systems of work, their management and application. (K15) UK Engineering Council’s and other relevant codes of conduct and ethical principles. (K16) The key topics related to sustainable development and how fire safety design methods can impact on these, and where challenges can arise with competing design requirements. Examples include the significance of carbon and climate change; building energy use; material selection; responsible procurement and efficient use of resources during construction; life cycle costing. (K18) |
None |
None |
|
Reviewing and interpreting fire-related information
S7 |
None |
Review and interpret fire related information such as product certification and test reports, cause and effect information and design detail drawings. (S7) |
None |
|
Developing fire engineering solutions
S9 |
None |
Interpret and apply design and quality standards including codes of practice, legal and regulatory frameworks, in the development of fire engineering solutions, Examples include: planning, designing, construction and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure in compliance with current codes, standards and legislation, industry regulations. (S9) |
None |
|
Evaluating fire engineering solutions
S10 |
None |
Evaluate the impact of fire safety engineering on society and the environment taking account of business, client and end user needs in its construction, management and use. (S10) |
None |
|
Construction fundamentals
K6 |
Construction fundamentals including what makes a structure, construction methods and construction types. What designers are involved in the design of a structure (e.g. structures and their component parts), how they fundamentally work together as a system, and key design decision drivers (i.e. sustainability, energy, natural lighting etc.). The different fire hazards that arise from different construction methods (modular, mass timber, timber frame, etc). An understanding of common fire safety defects. (K6) |
None |
None |
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date | Latest end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Occupational standard and end point assessment plan revised. | 11/09/2024 | Not set | Not set |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 01/07/2021 | 10/09/2024 | Not set |
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