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17/09/2019
HCPA Event
Fire Safety Workshop for Residential/Supported Living Services
Community Protection Directorate

2. Welcome & Housekeeping Tony Smith

3. Fire Safety in Residential/Supported Living Care Premises
Community Protection Directorate
Fire Protection Department

4. Introductions

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Legislation
What piece of legislation is used in the UK to ensure fire safety in residential care premises?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
What does ‘The Order’ require from you?
As the responsible person you must:
carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
plan for an emergency
provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training
The Fire Safety Order is a Fire Risk Assessment based approach
This takes the form of an informal Q&A session – invite the answers from the delegates before revealing them
Community Protection Directorate

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Fire Risk Assessment
“If you are the ‘Responsible Person’, you must ensure that a fire risk assessment has been carried out that must focus on the safety of all 'Relevant Persons' in the case of fire.
It should pay particular attention to those at special risk, such as the disabled and those with special needs”
Emphasise that any of them could be deemed to be a ‘Responsible Person’ due to their position so they should all be happy with the fire safety arrangements
Quick explanation of ‘Relevant Persons’
Highlight that persons under care are particularly high risk - hence the separate sentence in the Order
Community Protection Directorate

8. Who Should Carry out the FRA?
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Who Should Carry out the FRA?
You can choose to appoint a 'competent' risk assessor to carry out a fire risk assessment on your behalf. There are two recognised online registers for Fire Risk Assessors – IFE & IFSM You will find links to these in your resource packs
Quick overview with a couple of examples of things that will be missed if the risk assessor is not competent – compartmentation, suitability of evacuation plan etc.
Make a point of compartmentation within roof spaces – if they do their own FRA are they going up in the loft & do they know what to look for???
Community Protection Directorate

9. What Should an FRA contain?
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What Should an FRA contain?
The ‘Order’ requires a fire risk assessment to include the measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of fire, and to identify persons at risk.
Does your Fire Risk Assessment measure up?
Lead in to table exercise where delegates look at their own FRA’s with the assistance of an FPO (preferably one per table)
Does it cover measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of fire and identify persons at risk
Does it cover ‘compartmentation’ particularly in roof spaces
Does it reference the Evacuation Plan and Staff Training?
Community Protection Directorate

10. Exercise 1 When was your FRA last reviewed?
Does it make reference to ‘relevant persons’?
Does it list hazards & control measures?
Does it refer to the evacuation plan?
Were there any significant findings?
If so, have they been actioned?

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Fire Service Audits
What aspects will the Fire Service audit?
LIFE SAFETY
Ignition Sources
Spread of Fire
Escape Routes & Emergency Lighting
Fire Fighting Equipment
Fire Alarms & Detection
Staff Training
Fire Safety Management
Quick run through – short explanation/example for each area
Community Protection Directorate

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Fire Service Audits
What actions could the Fire Service take following an audit at your premises?
Letter of compliance
Confirmation of advice
Deficiencies letter
Action plan
Enforcement notice
Prohibition notice
Prosecution
Quick run through – short explanation/example for each action
Community Protection Directorate

13. Coffee Break

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Evacuation
Evacuation plans must be fully risk assessed, understood & practiced
Simultaneous or Single Stage
Phased or Progressive
Delayed or ‘Stay Put’
Emphasis on whether the plan is suitable for the building and do ALL staff fully understand and practice it
Discuss the ability to do table top exercises
Community Protection Directorate

15. Simultaneous or Single Stage Evacuation
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Simultaneous or Single Stage Evacuation
“Everyone reacts to the warning signal given when a fire is discovered, then make their way, by the means of escape, to a place of safety away from the premises”. May be required due to flooding, gas leaks etc. Should be able to conduct this without the assistance of the fire service – is this realistic?
Single stage evacuation
This strategy is appropriate for residents and others who fall predominantly into the ‘independent’ category, where it may reasonably be expected that all people in the building are able to (and will) evacuate immediately from the premises to a place of total safety without assistance.
Should be prepared to fully evacuate – it may be necessary for any number of reasons – give examples
Discuss the need to fully evacuate vs number of staff on at night
Community Protection Directorate

16. Phased or Progressive Horizontal Evacuation
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Phased or Progressive Horizontal Evacuation
Progressive horizontal evacuation
This strategy is likely to be necessary where the residents are dependent on staff to assist with their escape.  It works on the principle of moving residents from an area affected by fire, through a fire resisting barrier to an adjoining fire protected area on the same level, where they can wait in a place of safety whilst the fire is dealt with, or await further evacuation down a protected route to total safety.
Explain horizontal evacuation through progressive sets of fire doors, into staircases, down & out of the building
Can use Newgate example of ‘posting’ patients into protected staircases (beware of getting drawn into too much discussion around Newgate)
Community Protection Directorate

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Delayed Evacuation
“Stay Put” is only safe where:
Compartmentation is adequate
Fire is detected early
Fire Service are called and attend as early as possible
Evacuation is carried out in relation to risk
Where persons are left in place they should be accompanied – is this possible?
Important that they understand how this may not be appropriate to their building
Explain as an example how this works in Blocks of Flats & Hospitals
Delayed evacuation
Exceptionally, in some situations it may not be desirable or practical to evacuate some residents immediately (e.g. because of medical conditions or treatments).  In these circumstances it may be appropriate to allow them to remain in their rooms whilst the fire is dealt with and the danger has passed, or allow for the additional time necessary to prepare them for evacuation.  In such circumstances, it will be necessary to provide enhanced levels of structural fire protection to the individual bedroom.  However, where this strategy has been adopted, a suitable evacuation plan will still be required.
“You should not depend upon the fire and rescue service to evacuate people; your escape strategy must be dependent only on the factors that are within your own control.  However, you should consult with your enforcing authority when determining and planning an appropriate and effective evacuation strategy for your premises.  Whichever system of evacuation you use must be supported by suitable management arrangements.”  (HM Government, DCLG Publications, May 2006, Fire Safety Risk Assessment, Residential Care Premises, page 27, paragraph 5)
“In the event of a fire. It is important to evacuate people as quickly as possible from the area or the building.  Escape routes in a building should be designed so that people can escape quickly enough to ensure they are not placed in any danger from fire.  The time available for escape will depend on a number of factors, including, how quickly the fire is detected and the alarm raised, the number of available escape routes, the volume and height of the space, the ventilation conditions, the speed of fire growth, the mobility of the residents and the availability of staff.”  (HM Government, DCLG Publications, May 2006, Fire Safety Risk Assessment, Residential Care Premises, pages 27-28)
Community Protection Directorate

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Whichever strategy or combination of strategies you adopt it is likely to be influenced by a number of factors including:
size, type, layout and construction of the premises;
time of the day;
reaction, mobility and dependency of residents;
number of staff; and
nature and location of occupants, e.g. visitors, residents, ancillary staff etc.
Reinforce the point that if staffing at night is an issue then this puts a premium on prevention and mitigation by means of detection, compartmentation, sprinklers etc.
Emphasis how important it is that these measures are in place, adequate and regularly tested & maintained
Community Protection Directorate

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Case Study 1
The fire alarm and detection system at your premises has failed
What would you do?
15 minutes to discuss with the assistance of an FPO (preferably one per table)
When time is up, quick run through of actions
Contact AFD company for urgent repair
Ensure ALL staff are aware
Ensure alternative means of raising an alarm – whistle, horn etc. and make sure everyone knows the method
Consider fire warden/fire watch procedures for duration of failure
Community Protection Directorate

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Case Study 2
It is 11pm and staff report that they can smell burning but they are not sure where the smell is coming from
What would you do?
15 minutes to discuss with the assistance of an FPO (preferably one per table)
When time is up, quick run through of actions
Investigate & if there is any doubt call the Fire Service
Explain that we have T.I.C’s
Community Protection Directorate

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Business Continuity
Over 70% of businesses involved in a major fire either do not reopen, or subsequently fail within 3 years of the fire
Make the point that this does happen & it could be their premises – are they prepared?
‘The time to get ready is now – not when it is all going wrong’
Community Protection Directorate

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Business Continuity
Plans don't have to be complicated
A basic plan should include:
key processes and how it would impact the business if they failed
threats to your processes and whether these can be prevented or reduced
actions to make sure key processes aren't interrupted, as well as specific responsibilities for staff and any critical reference points (for example, where you keep your back-up records).
Direct lift from the advice on our website – don’t spend too much time on this, just a quick ‘skim over’ the points
Community Protection Directorate

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Any Questions?
Workplace Learning Session: AE to Enter web link for delegates to access
“We are always here to help you”
Community Protection Directorate

24. Sharon Davies CEO HCPA Your Homework: Deliver a Worktime Learning Session Fire Safety – Residential Care: for unit mangers, shift and team leaders

25. Aim
To provide residential and support settings with a short ‘light bite awareness session’ to help embed key themes around Fire awareness in the leadership team:
Your staff presentation will cover
General issues
Evacuation policy and procedures
Reporting Emergencies and Alerting Employees in an Emergency
Employee Training and Drills

26. What is a ‘worktime learning session’?
It is a time to refresh what should be happening day to day
A reflective time for leaders to discuss potential issues
Will include some learning but is based around practicalities at your site

27. How can this be used to keep leadership practice up to date?
Within leadership team meetings
1:1 sessions with new leadership starters
Following an incident to review situations
As leadership refresher training

28. What support will I have to do this?
Powerpoint presentation with content specific to residential/supported living care fire safety: Link on HCPA website in Member Zone under event resources.
A guide on how to complete a sufficient risk assessment
Support from Herts Fire & Rescue Service for any queries and further training

29. Thank you
Thank you for your time – lets work together to prevent fire incidents and minimise harm to individuals within our care.

30. Thank you for attending today
Certificates to be ed to you. Don’t forget to add these to your Care Academy portal!