Nursing homes, care homes and hospices are key to the comfort and wellbeing of vulnerable people. Managing such a service carries the responsibility of ensuring legislation is followed and regulations are met.
Are you compliant with fire regulation?
In a care home environment it is vital that procedures are in place in the event of a fire, and that all staff are aware of what is required of them.
Residents of various ages and capacity will require specific care which must be assessed on a case by case basis. Businesses must take action to safeguard residents, visitors and property with the use of a fire safety strategy.
Standards are reviewed periodically, with updates made to regulations as required. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 states that all equipment used must be suitable for purpose and properly maintained. This means that arrangements must be in place to purchase, service and replace equipment, including fire safety items.
Who is responsible for fire safety?
The responsible person must take action to safeguard the business, its residents, visitors and property with a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA).
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) states that a responsible person must take such general fire precautions as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any of his employees.
The duty is on this person is to make sure the business fire risk assessment is up-to-date and that a fire safety company is employed to minimise risk. Churches Fire & Security is a third-party accredited company, meaning that all of our products have been rigorously assessed by reputable third parties and have met the highest industry standards. Discover further information on our fire safety and industry accreditations.
Prevent a fire safety penalty today
The cost of a life cannot be measured. The effects of a fire within a care home can be long term, leading to health and mental wellbeing issues.
Financial costs resulting from fire safety breaches can have devastating effects on businesses.
A hospice in East Sussex was fined £250,000 as a result of a fire. Staff were found to have had no suitable training for evacuation, the main fire exit was locked and smoke was allowed to spread.
The penalty costs vary, but can all but be avoided with the proper fire strategy in place.
Keeping care home residents safe – 5 point checklist
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Fire Risk Assessment
When was your FRA last updated? Are all staff trained to follow the document? Have recommendations been actioned? Is your evacuation process manageable? Churches Fire & Security can help you stay fire compliant with understanding fire safety.
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Fire Wardens
At least two trained fire wardens should be designated in a care home facility, taking into account shift patterns. Provisions must be made so cover is always available.
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Fire Extinguishers
The correct type of fire extinguishers must be in place and require annual servicing. Regulations dictate the number and type of extinguishers required per business.
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Alarm System
Regulations state that care homes must have an L1 Fire Alarm System fitted. This type of alarm provides coverage throughout the building.
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Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC)
Care homes must have the facility to automatically contact an Alarm Receiving Centre when fire alarm signals are activated. This applies to new fire systems or those having an upgrade. This ruling is not retrospective to systems already in place, however the FRA will assess any requirement for an update. Churches Fire & Security can install and maintain your business fire alarms and monitoring set up with an alarm receiving centre ARC.
Our top five care home fire safety tips
1. Passive Fire Protection
In order to effectively protect and seal a building from the spread of both fire and smoke, passive protection needs to be built into the structure of the building, including walls, floors and doors to seal the services passing through the building’s structure. One of the greatest risks to health associated with fire is the damage caused by smoke. In the case of care homes, where residents are less mobile and evacuation times may be longer, failure to compartmentalise the building to slow or prevent the spread of smoke could be devastating. It is therefore vital that effective fire prevention and protection is installed. Well maintained fire doors in care homes take care of this. This is particularly important in plant rooms and areas of high fire hazard to ensure evacuation routes remain clear from smoke in the event of an emergency.
2. Fire Doors
Fire doors are a crucial element of any building’s fire safety strategy, compartmenting a premises to prevent the spread of fire and smoke and acting in a similar way to passive protection devices. Regular checks should be made to fire doors to make sure they are fully functioning; including any seals, door closers, glass panes, hinges or intumescent strips. Faulty doors or damages should be repaired efficiently to ensure evacuation routes are protected.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Advice on fire doors and compliance with fire safety standards can be found in your Fire Risk Assessment. Repair and maintenance work must be undertaken as a priority by a certified professional.
3. FEEP (Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan)
Required in buildings where people are in residence, a FEEP (Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan) is required in order for people to understand the fire escape strategy and locate their nearest fire exit.
The plan also details arrangements to implement, control, monitor and review fire safety standards, describing the methods that have been used to manage fire safety. Plans and arrangements relating to preventative fire safety and what should happen in the event of a fire should be available to view, alongside a resident’s own personal PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) relating to their care package for successful evacuation.
KEY TAKEAWAY: PEEP plans for residents should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
Fire Risk Assessments should detail your fire safety strategy, including the actions taken to ensure all staff are aware of the fire action procedure.
4. Plant Rooms and Riser Shafts
Plant rooms and riser shafts should frequently be checked to ensure they remain clear of any non-essential items. This is a basic fire safety requirement to guarantee that no additional fuel sources are located in these high-risk areas, and it is not used as an extra storage area.
In the event of a fire breaking out, fires can quickly develop and spread if unnecessary materials are in the area.
KEY TAKEAWAY: The inspection of plant rooms and riser shafts, detailing control measures, should be included in your Fire Risk Assessment and monitored regularly.
5. Laundry Precautions
One of the most hazardous areas located within care homes can often be the laundry area, due to its frequent use, large amounts of fuel, electrical equipment and sources of heat. It is imperative that tumble drier filters are cleaned of lint and that ducting is cleaned periodically to prevent ignition of these light and fibrous materials. Regular inspections should keep on top of this preventative issue, helping to lower the risk of fire.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Laundry inspection should be included in your Fire Risk Assessment. This should include the cleaning and emptying of tumble dryer filters by laundry staff after each use.
Churches Fire & Security provide services to over 30,000 sites countrywide. For over 25 years they have been enabling UK businesses to better protect their staff, visitors and assets, helping them reduce the risk of fire. From large well-known corporate businesses to smaller, local businesses Churches Fire & Security offer a full range of fire safety services such as fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, fire alarms, fire doors, emergency lighting and suppression systems removing the need to go to a third party.
Contact us today to discuss your care home fire safety requirements.
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