0. Draft Code Of Practice Community Dwellings
Fire Safety in Healthcare Services Conference
Presented By
Aidan O’Connor
HSE Estate Manager
Fire Safety

1. Aims & Objectives HSE into the Future Code Of Practice
Why ?? / Background
Current Situation
Stakeholders
Purpose & Scope of the COP
Working Group
Key Issues
Where Next

2. HES Into The Future

3. National Children’s Hospital

4. NCH @ St. James’s Hospital Campus

5. Primary Care

6. The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus6

7. The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus7

8. Community Nursing Units

9. The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus9

10. The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus10

11. The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus11

12. National Maternity Hospital to St. Vincent’s University Hospital

13. National Maternity Hospital to St. Vincent’s University Hospital
The new development will cater for up to 10,000 births per annum and will include the following NMH facilities:
5 nr. Operating Theatres;
24 nr. Birthing (Delivery) Rooms;
c. 180 nr. NMH Single In-patient Rooms;
48 nr. NICU/SCBU Single Cot Rooms;
Emergency and Out-patient Departments;
Ultrasound and Radiology Departments;
The following SVUH dedicated facilities will be included:
38 nr SVUH Single In-patient Rooms;
Dermatology Unit;
SVUH Medical Records Department;
A number of ancillary displaced areas.
Shared facilities to be provided include:
Kitchen and Canteen Department;
Waste Management Facilities;
Purchasing and Stores Department;
Laboratory Department;
HSSD
The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus 13

14. National Forensic Mental Health Services

15. National Forensic Mental Hospital Service
The new development will consist of the following:
Replacement of existing Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum;
Located on St. Ita’s Hospital Campus Portrane;
Co-located campus of National Forensic Hospital, CAMH-F, MHID-F and ICRU-F;
170 High and Medium secure beds in modern facility;
Serves adult and child patients, diverse healthcare, social and forensic needs;
Planning achieved in Q2 2015;
The re-development of The National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent's University Hospital Campus 15

16. Code Of Practice Background
Building Classification Anomalies
New TGD B
Approach DOE with issue
Approved to develop proposed COP
Application to DOE, CFO & ACFO Representation
Develop Working Group

17. The Journey
Future
Present
Past

18. Policy Documentation ‘National Housing Strategy’
‘A Time To Move From Congregated Settings’
‘National Housing Strategy’
‘The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’

19. ‘Time to Move on from Congregated Settings’
To live Ordinary Lives in Ordinary Places
Live Independently and be Part of the Local Community.
7 Year Phased Closure
Transition to Disposed Forms of Housing in Ordinary Communities.

20. National Housing Strategy
To facilitate access, for people with disabilities, to the appropriate range of housing and related support services, delivered in an integrated and sustainable manner, which promotes equality of opportunity, individual choice and independent living.

21. National Housing Strategy
The Strategy expects while (acknowledging the challenges) that this should be achieved within the Mainstream Housing Environment

22. UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
‘Parties to the convention recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choice equal to others, and shall take effect and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community ‘ (UNCRPD2006)(Article 19)

23. Is it a Institution Or Is it A Home
The Big Question
Is it a Institution Or Is it A Home

24. OUR AIM Provide Fire Engineering Approach to
Achieve an acceptable standard of Fire Safety in Community Dwellings while
Taking into account the Environmental setting of such a Residence

25. Use of The COP In the Design of New Facilities
Setting Standards for Existing Facilities
Fire Safety Risk Assessing such buildings into the future

26. Working Group Membership
The Working Group has been selected from the following
disciplines:
HSE Estates Department
HIQA Representative
External Fire Safety Consultants
Architects
Department of the Environment
CFO Association & ACFO Association
Service Users
Private Providers

27. Building Users Defined
Children
People with Sensory Disabilities
People with Mental Health Issues
People with Intellectual Disabilities
People with Physical Disabilities
Assessed by appropriate Medical staff
Of living in a domestic scale Residence
Sufficient Staffing

28. Applications Single Storey Houses Two Storey Houses
Three Storey (Ground, First & Second)
Max 8 Bedrooms
Max 6 Residents
NB. Buildings with Basements are not covered in this COP.

29. The ISSUE Residential Dwellings in Scale BUT
Considered Residential Institutional or Other Residential
Application of Greater Requirements has serious consequences for existing Building Stock.

30. Current Situation Residential (Dwellings); Residential (Institutional)
Currently three classifications of residential buildings in Technical Guidance Document B:
Residential (Dwellings);
Purpose Group 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c)
Residential (Institutional)
Purpose Group 2(a)
Other Residential
Purpose Group 2 (b).

31. Simple Facts
Housing providers want to provide community Dwellings with a homely non institutional Environment.
Complying with existing Residential Institutional Buildings creates an Institutional setting that is against all principles for such accommodation.

32. Our Proposal
Need for another classification of residential building in New TGD B.
Residential (Dwellings) 1(d) – Small Scale Community Dwellings. 
Exempt Fire Safety Certificate & Disability Access Certificate
Under the Fire Services Act

33. The Code Of Practice for Community Dwellings

34. MANAGEMENT OF FIRE SAFETY
A fire safety programme incorporating arrangements for the following should be prepared for each individual premises:
Prevention of outbreaks of fire, through the establishment of day-to-day fire prevention practices;
Instruction and training of staff on all matters relating to fire safety;
Emergency fire procedures and evacuation drills;
Provision of fire safety instructions to residents;
Inspection and maintenance of fire protection equipment;
Maintenance of the building and its fittings and services;
Maintenance of escape routes;
Liaison with the fire authority and assisting the fire brigade; and
Keeping of fire safety records.
A fire safety programme will only be effective if it is implemented in total, and monitored on a day-to-day basis by the persons in control of the dwelling.

35. FIRE SAFETY MEASURES
Guidance on the principal fire safety measures are outlined in the following Sections:
Means of Escape in Case of Fire
Horizontal Escape Routes
Vertical Escape Routes
General Provisions for Means of Escape
Internal Fire Spread (Linings)
Internal Fire Spread (Structure)
External Fire Spread
Access and Facilities for the Fire Service.

36. Means of Escape in Case of Fire
Location
Maximum Travel Distance related to available direction of escape
Single Escape Route
Alternative Escape Route
Within Bedrooms (1)
10m
20m
Bedroom corridors (2)
From a bedroom door to the head of a stairway (3) , storey or final exit
7.5m -
Elsewhere
18m
45m
Note 1: Limitation refers to that part of the total travel distance, which is within a bedroom.
Note 2: Travel distance from a bedroom door to a storey exit or final exit
Note 3: In the case of a single protected escape stairway with habitable rooms opening directly into the protected stairway enclosure

37. DIRECT COMPARISON OF MINIMUM STANDARDS BY BUILDING TYPE
ELEMENT
INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING
DOMESTIC DWELLING HOUSE
COMMUNITY DWELLING
Fire Resistance of Floors
60/60/60 mins
non-combustible
compartment construction
30/30/30 mins [3 storey dwelling]
30/15/15 mins [2 storey dwelling]
30/30/30 mins.
[all new builds and existing 3 storey dwellings]
Enclosure of Escape Stairs
60/60/60 min. protected shaft
30/30/30 mins
[uncontrolled fire load in stair enclosure]
30/30/30mins
[No unprotected storage cupboards allowed in stair]
Separating Walls
60/60/60 mins.
Fire Detection and Alarm System
Category L1 System
Grade D
[toilets/en-suites subject to risk assessment]
Emergency Lighting
Maintained/Sustained System in accordance with IS 3217:2013
No requirement
Non-Maintained/Switch-Maintained in accordance with IS 3217:2013
Management
Strictly regulated
Up to individual

38. FIRE SAFETY MEASURES Inner Rooms Emergency Lighting
Bedrooms should not be inner rooms.
All other inner rooms should comply fully with the
recommendations of Technical Guidance Document B.
Emergency Lighting
Emergency lighting should be provided in accordance with the relevant recommendations of I.S. 3217: Emergency Lighting.
The system shall comprise non-maintained or switched-maintained luminaries with a three hour standby supply.

39. Fire Detection & Alarm System
Fire Detection and Alarm System in accordance with the relevant recommendations of I.S. 3218:
The system should be designed to Category L1 life safety system
The non-provision of fire detectors in bathrooms/ en-suite may be acceptable subject to an appropriate Fire Risk Assessment
A repeater panel should be installed within care staff sleeping accommodation where provided

40. Windows / Roof Lights
All new community dwellings and buildings whose use is being altered to that of a Community Dwelling (Purpose Group 1(d)) should be provided with windows suitable for escape and rescue.
Where windows are being replaced within existing community dwelling houses they should be replaced with windows suitable for escape and rescue.
Where a risk assessment envisages a security risk within these buildings as a result of these readily openable windows, an audible alarm may be provided to detect if a window has been opened without authority.

41. Doors on Escape Routes
Should only be fitted with a lock or fastening which is readily operated, without a key, from the side approached by people making their escape.
Doors should have a minimum width of 750mm, [widths in excess of this may be required to meet other Regulations and to meet operational requirements].
Secure doors operated by a code, combination, swipe or proximity card, biometric data or similar means, should also be capable of being overridden from the side approached by people making their escape.
Electrically powered locks should return to the unlocked position.

42. Where Next
Draft COP issued to DOE following meeting of working Group end of June.
DOE issue for Public Comment
Review Public Comment
DOE /Working Group review feedback
COP Sign Off (Quarter )

43. One Problem
HSE & Providers purchasing and developing houses at present.
Do we apply the draft COP where we can achieve our Aim Or
Apply existing guidance and not be able to achieve compliance thus missing opportunity and incurring Excessive Costs .

44. Is There a Solution ????

45. Thank You For Your Attention