Case Studies

Matt, you work for the NHS as part of Gloucestershire Managed Services. Can you tell us a little bit about what GMS does within the NHS?
Gloucestershire Managed Services (GMS) provides essential non-clinical support services to two NHS hospitals in Gloucestershire, helping them run safely and efficiently. It covers a wide range of facilities management functions such as estates maintenance, cleaning, catering, portering, security, medical equipment maintenance and waste management.

The role of GMS is to ensure that clinical teams can focus on patient care while it takes care of the operational side, maintaining safe, compliant and efficient environments for staff, patients and visitors. GMS is owned by the Hospital Trust and works closely with it to deliver high-quality, value-for-money services that meet healthcare standards and regulatory requirements.

Your role is as a Fire Safety Advisor. What does this entail?
My role is to ensure that the NHS Trust sites remain safe, compliant and prepared in the event of a fire. This involves carrying out fire risk assessments, inspecting fire precautions and making sure buildings meet the requirements of fire safety legislation and NHS fire code.

I provide guidance to staff on fire safety procedures, deliver training and support emergency planning, including evacuation drills. I also work closely with estates, facilities and clinical teams to review building projects, fire alarm systems and fire compartmentation to make sure they’re designed, maintained and used safely.

Overall, I would say that my role is about preventing fires, protecting life and property, and ensuring the Trust maintains a strong culture of fire safety.

Can you tell us about your professional experience and what led you to pursue a career in fire safety?
I’ve worked in health and safety for over 15 years across a range of sectors, and during that time I’ve developed a real interest in fire safety. I was drawn to the balance between technical knowledge, legal compliance and the practical side of protecting people and property.

Over the years, I found myself increasingly involved in fire risk assessments, training and building safety projects, which naturally led me toward specialising in fire safety. It’s an area where the work has a clear and meaningful purpose: preventing incidents and keeping people safe.

I see that you also worked in Abu Dhabi. What was that like and how did it differ from your previous roles?
Working in Abu Dhabi for over nine years was a great experience and a real learning curve. I worked in a diverse multicultural environment where health and safety had to be applied across different cultures, expectations and regulatory frameworks. That meant adapting my communication style and being very clear and consistent in how safety standards were explained and implemented.

Compared to my previous roles, the scale and pace of work was often greater, with high-profile projects and a strong focus on international standards. It pushed me to become more adaptable and culturally aware and build confidence in my professional judgement, which has had a lasting positive impact on how I work today.

You started your NEBOSH journey in 2019 by taking the NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation, followed by the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award, before progressing to the NEBOSH National General Certificate which was quickly followed by the NEBOSH National Diploma - all in under 2 years!
In 2019 I was working around risk and safety issues but didn’t have formal qualifications. The NEBOSH HSE Introduction to Incident Investigation felt like a practical starting point. It was short, focused and immediately useful. It helped me understand why incidents happen and not just what went wrong. That shift in thinking hooked me.

From there, the NEBOSH Health and Safety at Work Award made sense. It gave me a broad grounding in core principles. Legislation, risk assessment, hazards, controls. Nothing too overwhelming, but enough to see how health and safety fits together as a system.

By the time I moved on to the NEBOSH National General Certificate, I already had context. The Certificate didn’t make me feel like I was jumping in at the deep end - it expanded on what I already knew and added structure. When topics like fire safety, workplace hazards and management systems were covered the content built directly on the Award rather than replacing it.

Progressing to the NEBOSH National Diploma felt like a natural next step, not a leap. The Diploma demanded a much deeper level of understanding. More critical thinking. More law. More application. Because I’d built up gradually, I wasn’t trying to learn fundamentals and advanced concepts at the same time. I could focus on analysis rather than survival.

Taking an Award, then a Certificate, then a Diploma absolutely supported my progression. Each stage reinforced the last. Concepts repeated, but at a higher level each time. That repetition helped lock in understanding and confidence.

I would recommend this route to others, especially those new to health and safety. It reduces overload. It builds momentum. It lets you test whether the profession is right for you before committing to a Diploma. Most importantly, it develops understanding step by step rather than forcing it all at once.

You have gone on to complete 4 other NEBOSH qualifications. Please could you share your thoughts on each of them?

• NEBOSH Working with Wellbeing: This qualification really opened my eyes to how closely wellbeing and safety are connected. It helped me understand that creating a safe workplace isn’t just about preventing accidents, it’s also about supporting people’s physical and mental health so they can perform at their best. I found the course practical and thought-provoking, with useful tools for identifying what affects wellbeing in the workplace and how small changes can make a big difference. It has influenced how I now approach safety, with a greater focus on people and culture, not just compliance.

• NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety: This was one of the most valuable courses I’ve taken. It gave me a solid understanding of fire behaviour, legislation and practical control measures, which I now apply daily in my role. The course strengthened my ability to carry out thorough fire risk assessments and communicate fire safety requirements clearly to others. What stood out most was how it linked theory to real-world practice, helping me make sound, evidence-based decisions that genuinely improve fire safety standards.

• NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Health and Safety Leadership Excellence: This was a great course that really changed how I think about leadership and influence in safety. It showed me that effective safety management isn’t just about rules or procedures, it’s about behaviour, communication and leading by example. The course helped me understand how to engage senior leaders, build trust and create a stronger safety culture through positive leadership. It’s been very useful in helping me encourage others to take ownership of safety rather than seeing it as just a compliance task.

• NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work: This gave me a much deeper understanding of how stress affects individuals and organisations. It helped me recognise the early signs of work-related stress and gave me practical tools to manage it through better communication, workload planning and support systems. The course was a real eye-opener; it showed how managing stress isn’t just about wellbeing, but also about improving safety, productivity and team morale. I now use what I learned to promote a more open and supportive workplace culture.

I took these qualifications because I wanted to build a well-rounded understanding of health, safety and wellbeing - not just compliance, but the wider factors that affect people at work. Each course added something valuable to my professional development, from technical fire safety knowledge to leadership and wellbeing skills.

I chose NEBOSH because their qualifications are highly respected, practical and recognised across all industries. They focus on real-world application, not just theory, which makes the learning directly useful in my day-to-day role. NEBOSH courses also challenge you to think critically and professionally, which has really helped me grow in confidence and competence.

These qualifications have benefited me in several ways. They’ve strengthened my technical knowledge, improved my confidence when advising others and broadened my understanding of how safety, wellbeing and leadership all connect. Each course has added practical tools to my repertoire that I use every day, from carrying out fire risk assessments and promoting wellbeing to engaging senior managers and supporting staff under pressure.

Overall, they’ve helped me become a more rounded professional who can approach safety from multiple angles, focusing not just on compliance but on creating safer, healthier and more positive workplaces.

You have taken a total of eight NEBOSH qualifications in a relatively short space of time. Do you have any advice for other safety professionals regarding ways to help balance work and studying?
My advice would be to set a clear routine for studying and treat it like part of your work schedule. I found it really helped to have a quiet space in the house dedicated to study, free from distractions, so I could stay focused. Balancing work and study isn’t easy, so having support makes a big difference. My wife and my employer were both very understanding, which allowed me to manage my time and keep motivated. Consistency, good planning and support from the people around you are key to getting through it successfully.

How do you apply the knowledge you gained from the NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety in your daily work? Is there anything in particular that you found really valuable?
I use what I learned from doing my NEBOSH Fire Certificate every day, especially when carrying out fire risk assessments, reviewing evacuation procedures and advising on building safety compliance. The courses gave me a strong understanding of fire behaviour, legislation and control measures, which I now apply when assessing real-world situations. What I found most valuable was learning how to link theory to practice: understanding why controls are needed and how to explain that clearly to others so they understand the importance of maintaining good fire safety standards.

Can you explain how your role developed or any changes you made/want to make at work after completing your NEBOSH qualifications?
After completing my NEBOSH qualifications, I became more confident in applying a structured, risk-based approach to safety. It helped me move from simply identifying issues to analysing root causes and finding practical, proportionate solutions. I also started taking a more proactive role in reviewing policies, leading inspections and supporting colleagues with clearer guidance and training. Going forward, I want to continue strengthening the link between health and safety and everyday operations to make it easier for people to work safely without unnecessary complexity.

What do you enjoy most about being a fire safety professional?
Knowing that the work I do directly helps protect people. Every assessment, inspection, or bit of advice contributes to creating safer environments for staff, patients and visitors. I also enjoy the variety - no two days are the same - and the challenge of finding practical solutions that balance safety, compliance and operational needs. It’s a role where you can really see the positive impact of your efforts.

I understand that you are neurodiverse. What challenges and opportunities has this created for you in your career?
Yes, I’m dyslexic, and I’ll admit that reading pages and pages of notes or textbooks was never a pleasant thought for me. Even in my day job, writing policies and reports can be challenging at times. But I’ve learned to embrace technology to its fullest; using tools like voice-to-text software, screen readers and digital organisation systems has made a huge difference. It’s helped me turn what could be a barrier into a strength, allowing me to work more efficiently and focus on the practical, problem-solving side of fire safety that I really enjoy.

What’s your motto at work, or what are you known for?
That’s a tough one, but I’d say my motto is: never give advice you couldn’t stand up in court and defend. It keeps me focused on giving clear, evidence-based guidance. I also believe it’s better to be ‘caught trying to make things safe’ than to be caught doing nothing - because good fire safety is about effort, integrity and doing the right thing, even when it’s not easy.

Looking back on your career to date, what achievements are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of finishing my NEBOSH Diploma. It was a tough journey that required real commitment, but with the support of my wife and encouragement from colleagues, I was able to see it through to the end. It was a real milestone in my career, and a reminder of what persistence and support can achieve.

What’s next for you in terms of your professional development?
Next, I’m focusing on continuing to build my competence in fire safety management within the healthcare sector, working toward achieving professional registration with the IFE and expanding my knowledge through further specialist training, such as advanced fire risk assessment and healthcare fire code application.

In one sentence, please could you tell us: What was the best thing you learned through your NEBOSH studies?
How to apply health and safety principles in a practical, risk-based way that genuinely improves how people work, rather than just meeting compliance requirements.

Having worked in health and safety roles for over 15 years, what do you think makes a good health and safety professional?
A good health and safety professional needs more than just technical knowledge; it’s all about the attitude and approach. You must be practical, approachable and able to balance compliance with real-world operations.

Key qualities include:
• Strong communication: being able to explain safety requirements in plain language that makes sense to everyone.
• Collaboration: working with people, not against them - building trust so safety becomes part of the culture, not a tick-box exercise.
• Competence and curiosity: keeping up to date with legislation, learning from incidents and always asking “how can we do this safer and smarter?”.
• Pragmatism: understanding that every workplace has pressures, so solutions must be realistic and achievable.
• Integrity: having the confidence to challenge unsafe practices and stand by your professional judgement.

In short, a good health and safety professional supports people to work safely, not by enforcing rules blindly, but by enabling safe, efficient and sustainable operations.

What would be your advice be to anyone at the start of their fire safety career?
My advice would be to focus on developing both your technical knowledge and your people skills. You need to be a good negotiator: fire safety often involves influencing others, finding practical solutions and balancing safety requirements with operational needs.

Be prepared to face barriers along the way as not everyone will see fire safety as a priority until something goes wrong. Stay patient, professional and persistent. Most importantly, learn to see things from different perspectives and try to understand the challenges faced by staff. When you can appreciate their viewpoint, you’ll be far more effective at gaining cooperation and achieving lasting improvements in fire safety.