A leading construction safety body has raised serious concerns about fire safety in care homes. CROSS-UK (Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK) has highlighted poor standards of maintenance in care homes after it found non-compliant fire doors and sub-standard electrics in two facilities, placing residents at significant risk.
The CIOB has also been calling for changes to regulations to categorise care homes as higher risk buildings as many residents are not mobile and are therefore unable to self-evacuate in the event of a fire.
According to the London Fire Brigade, there are fires in around 388 UK care homes every year. The majority are cooking-related, followed by smoking, electrical equipment and spread of fire – doors being wedged open giving the potential for fire to spread rapidly throughout a building.
Fire Safety Starts with a Fire Risk Assessment
Every care home is required to have a detailed and up-to-date Fire Risk Assessment. This will identify and document all potential fire safety risks and hazards; which residents are most at risk; the measures in place to prevent or deal with a fire, and any areas for improvement.
Professional assistance with this process is strongly advised – and our teams can carry out the assessment and any remedial works required for compliance with the latest safety standards.
How to Maintain Fire Safety in Care Homes
Install and regularly check and maintain the appropriate fire alarm, detection and fire suppression systems.
Fire alarms – these units will sound to warn of a fire and special alarm systems will alert residents with visual or audio impairments.
Fire detection systems – a building will be divided into zones so staff and firefighters can quickly locate the fire. Have a zoned chart easily accessible for staff and firefighters to use in an emergency.
Fire suppression and sprinkler systems – these are used to control, extinguish or in some cases, entirely prevent fires from spreading or occurring, to protect residents and the property. The systems are activated by heat or smoke detection.
Fire doors – good quality doors are essential for fire safety in care homes. These will limit the speed at which fire can spread in a care home and give staff enough time to evacuate everyone. The doors need to close properly and should be regularly checked and maintained to ensure they are ‘smoke tight’ to prevent smoke travelling through a building.
Fire compartmentation – this is the provision of fire resisting walls and floors and includes special measures required to address any openings, such as glazing, service penetrations and ductwork – as well as doors and in roof spaces.
Implement a programme of regular fire safety training and fire drills. Consider the needs of every resident, including any specialist requirements, and have a checklist for person-centred fire risk.
Establishing effective fire safety evacuation plans in care homes is complex. Take account of dependency or mobility issues of residents, and regularly update the plan for any significant changes to the building and its occupants.
Staff competency must be considered to understand fire alarm signals and staff who have specific responsibilities in the event of a fire.
Smoking policies – London Fire Brigade recommends allowing residents the chance to enjoy a ‘vape’ rather than a smoke to limit the risk of harm to residents’ health and care homes.
Working to FIRAS and BAFE certified standards, our Fire Division and subsidiary company Palladium have a dedicated team of highly trained fire safety engineers who assess, design, install, test and maintain both passive fire solutions such as fire doors and fire compartmentation and active fire protection systems including alarms and suppression systems in occupied buildings nationwide.
Read more about the Cross-Safety Report in to fire safety in care homes here.