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Install manual call points next to each exit and at least one on each floor. Ensure all staff and residents know how to activate alarms and can recognise the sound or sight of them. Carry out an observation of the home, talk to staff and service users, and check manufacturers’ information. This enables you to identify the exact hazards in your care home and determine which are most prominent.
If you can answer ‘no’ to any of the items on this list, then it is likely that your fire safety precautions are not sufficient for your care home. This can be made even more difficult by staff shift patterns, especially at night when there tend to be fewer carers on the premises. Caring for vulnerable adults doesn’t stop at food and comfort; the safety of the premises must also be considered to prevent emergencies.
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In 2016 Shaftesbury Care Group were fined £380,000 following a fire that resulted in one of their residents being rescued by the Fire Service. Wedged fire doors, condemned fire extinguishers and a failure to act on risk assessment findings were identified. Mobility scooters should be stored in areas separated from escape routes by suitable fire doors, etc. and covered by fire detectors. Although incidences of fire in mobility scooters are relatively rare, when they occur the results can be catastrophic due to the heat and toxic fumes released.
The Order places responsibilities on anyone with an involvement in fire safety in care homes such as registered managers, risk assessors and fire alarm technicians. In the case of residential care homes, and any other environments where vulnerable people rely on others for their safety, it is therefore essential that the Fire Safety Order is adhered to. There are a number of fire hazards present in care homes, such as electrical equipment, cooking appliances and cigarettes. It is essential that care homes have effective fire safety measures in place to minimise the risks posed by these hazards. You should arrange for a professional fire risk assessment and have a fire risk assessment checklist ready. You should be aware that fires can spread rapidly through roof voids.
Installing Fire Doors
Fires are arguably more dangerous at night, with sleeping residents more vulnerable to unwitting smoke inhalation. Furthermore, mentally and/or physically vulnerable residents may be slower to react to a fire and remove themselves from the situation. Keep fire routes and exits free from obstructions at all times. They should be constructed of fire-resistant materials, have ventilation, and accommodate mobility-impaired people. For example, staff in the kitchen should know how to work safely with equipment, naked flames, and hot surfaces.
In fact, fire doors are a vital part of ‘horizontal evacuation’, which we explain in section 5 below and which is an important fire evacuation strategy for care homes. This forms the basis of all of your fire safety plans and identifies the fire protection measures needed to keep your specific care home and residents safe. Fire safety in care homes can sadly be matter of life and death where there are vulnerable occupants concerned.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)
It’s about understanding the potential risks, then improving the fire safety precautions to keep people safe. Sadly, the resident died while smoking unsupervised outside in a garden shelter. There are areas of fire safety that can sometimes be difficult to reconcile with the wider needs of residents. One of those areas relates to the creation of a homely, stimulating environment whilst remaining safe. The London Fire Brigade’s advice for care homes can be found at here.
If using beds to evacuate, ensure that they will actually fit through openings. It’s a sad fact that those in our society who are the most vulnerable are also most at risk of being injured or dying in a fire. Understand the fire safety responsibilities of everyone in a care home. However, based on industry best practice guidelines, the recommended renewal period for this training is 1 year. We will print this recommended renewal date on your certificate. On successful completion of the course you will be sent a quality assured certificate through the post the next working day.
Therefore, you must implement and maintain sufficient safety procedures. LFB completed a review of fire safety in care homes in 2020, which found that nearly half of the homes reviewed did not have an adequate fire risk assessment. The Regulatory Reform Order 2005 states that those involved with the fire safety process has a responsibility to keep the building safe. Care providers are the designated ‘responsible person’ when looking after residents during the event of a fire.
Having experience with fire safety practices in the current climate is important, doubly so, if not more, for those care homes, especially given that there is specific legislation in place. This article seeks to outline some general fire safety guidance, before delving into what is required in a care home setting. Ensure there are sufficient trained staff/carers who know how to react in case of fire and who can safely evacuate residents. These measures can help to ensure that residents are safe in the event of a fire.
For example, you might identify that certain residents cannot evacuate quickly due to low mobility. This means they need designated staff or equipment to assist them in an emergency. Our Fire Safety for Care Homes Training teaches care home workers how to uphold fire safety measures and provide support to help vulnerable residents evacuate safely. Fire extinguishers must be regularly serviced and meet health and safety standards. Place them throughout the building in locations where they are easily accessible and where a fire could potentially occur.
The installation was fully managed and co-ordinated by the Fire Door Controls team, including liaison with the fire alarm maintainer and electrical contractor where necessary. Another feature of these closers is that they allow doors to be left in an open position at any angle but close in response to activation of the fire alarm. This was perfect for bedrooms in the Russettings care home, giving the residents freedom and independence. Both aspects of heavy doors can cause loss of balance, fear for the resident, and potentially even injury in the worst-case scenario. Eliminating these risks and creating a safe environment for every resident was a priority for the team at Russettings.
This means that every detector has its own unique electronic address, meaning you can identify exactly which alarm in which room is sounding. Therefore, you can evacuate occupants as quickly as possible, due to immediate risk-zone detection. In the case of care homes, a Fire Risk Assessment will be looking for more specific features than a regular office or home assessment. Vulnerable people will need features such as lifts for the physically handicapped, as well as PEEPS and GLEEPS. The ‘soft’ issues therefore, of how individuals can live fulfilling lives but also can be safely evacuated in the event of a fire must be given sufficient importance during any assessment.
To be fair, fires in care homes can generally be attributed to human error or equipment misuse or failure. The same year Anchor Trust were fined £210,000 following the death of a resident left to smoke a cigarette outside one of the company’s care homes. Fire Services, the Care Quality Commission and others have all issued guidance in recent years addressing the use of paraffin-based emollients for smoking residents. Such skins creams are, of course, common amongst care home residents.
Having regular fire drills can help residents and staff be better prepared in the event of a fire. Fire drills should be conducted at least once a year, and more often if the home has new residents or staff. You should also have a personal emergency evacuation plan for each resident. They are designed to explain how your residents are arranged to be safe during a fire. This can be done by a professional risk assessor or registered manager.
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