Residential Care

Guidance for fire safety in residential care

Section 1: Fire Risks and Preventative Measures

The foundational strategy for preventing fires is the systematic separation of flammable materials from ignition sources.

Housekeeping and Waste Management Good housekeeping is essential to lower the chance of fire and ensure escape routes and fire doors remain unobstructed. Combustible waste should be kept in suitable containers and removed regularly. External wheeled bins must be secured in a compound to prevent arsonists from moving them against the building; skips should normally be at least 6 metres away from any part of the premises.

Specific High-Risk Areas

Laundries: These remain high-risk areas, often located in basements where a fire can compromise escape routes above. Owners must avoid overloading machines, clean exhaust filters regularly, and ensure laundry chutes have automatically operated smoke and fire dampers triggered by detection devices.
Kitchens: Large catering facilities require automatic fire suppression systems for cooking ranges. All deep-fat cooking equipment must have thermostatic controls and never be left unattended. Extraction ducting and grease traps require regular cleaning, and isolation switches for gas, electricity, and fans should be located near exits.
Storage: Combustible materials (e.g., paper records, wheelchairs, linen) should be kept in dedicated, fire-resisting storerooms. Voids, including roof spaces, must never be used for storage and should be kept clear or sealed off.

Dangerous Substances Highly flammable liquids (e.g., solvents) present a risk because their heavy vapours can travel long distances to ignition sources. Only a daily supply—up to 50 litres—should be kept in a fire-resisting cabinet. LPG cylinders should only be used in exceptional circumstances; indoor storage of butane should be limited to two 15kg cylinders in a well-ventilated area. Medical oxygen cylinders should preferably be stored outside in a secure location; if stored indoors, the number must be minimal and the fire service must be informed.

Equipment and Machinery Machinery must be maintained by competent persons to prevent friction, overheating, or clogged ventilation points. Heating appliances should ideally be fixed convector or fan heaters rather than radiant ones. All gas appliances require annual professional servicing. Electrical safety is a major concern; all portable equipment (including staff items) should undergo Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), and fixed installations must be inspected by a competent engineer.

Restricting Fire Spread The materials used in building contents significantly affect fire growth.

Furniture and Textiles: Upholstered furniture, mattresses, and curtains should meet recognized fire performance standards (e.g., BS 7176, BS 7177). Flame-retardant treatments must be maintained through correct laundry procedures.
Bedding and Toys: Blankets, duvets, and pillows should be resistant to ignition. Soft toys should comply with the Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995.
Insulated Core Panels: Many modern buildings use these panels for partitions; however, polymeric cores can melt and produce toxic smoke. Damage to the metal skin must be repaired immediately to prevent the core from being exposed to fire.

Section 2: Fire Detection and Warning Systems

Automatic fire detection (AFD) offers the maximum period to implement emergency plans and evacuate residents.

System Requirements Most care homes require an electrical system incorporating automatic detectors, sounders, and manual call points (MCPs). MCPs should be conspicuous (red), fitted at 1.4m height (lower for wheelchair users), and positioned so that no one travels more than 45m to reach one.

Detection and Warning Levels

Automatic Detection: Essential in boiler rooms, laundries, kitchens, unoccupied areas, and bedrooms. Smoke detectors are preferred for the quickest response.
Audible Levels: In sleeping areas, a sound level of 75dBA is required at the bed head to wake residents. Where this is undesirable (e.g., for distressed residents), a level of at least 45dBA must be provided throughout the premises to alert staff.
Specialised Alarms: For those with hearing impairments, audible alarms should be supplemented by visual beacons or vibrating pagers. Voice alarms may be used to provide clearer instructions and reduce panic.

Maintenance and Power Systems require a backup power supply capable of operating for 24 hours and sounding the alarm for 30 minutes. MCPs should be tested weekly, and professional servicing is required every six months.

Section 3: Firefighting Equipment and Facilities

Portable Extinguishers For general Class A risks (wood, paper), provide one water-based extinguisher for every 200m² of floor space, with at least two per floor. They should be located on escape routes near exits, ideally within 30m of any point. Extinguishers require a monthly visual check and annual professional maintenance.

Fixed Systems and Firefighter Facilities

Sprinklers: Highly effective for both life safety and property protection in residential care. If a system is shut down for maintenance, owners must implement compensatory measures like extra fire patrols.
Access: Access roads must be kept clear of parked vehicles to allow fire engines to approach.
Other Facilities: These may include dry/wet rising mains, firefighting lifts/shafts, and smoke-control systems (SHEVS).

Section 4: Escape Routes and Evacuation Strategies

The adequacy of escape routes is judged by escape time, capacity, and travel distance, adapted for the mobility of the residents.

Evacuation Strategies

Single Stage Evacuation: Suitable for independent residents who can evacuate immediately to total safety unaided.
Progressive Horizontal Evacuation (PHE): The standard strategy for dependent residents. It involves moving residents from the fire area through fire-resisting barriers into an adjoining protected area on the same level.
Delayed Evacuation: For residents whose medical condition makes immediate movement dangerous, they may remain in their rooms if the bedrooms have enhanced (60-minute) fire resistance.

Protected Areas and Timings Protected areas must have at least 30 minutes of fire resistance and be large enough to accommodate their own occupants plus those from the largest adjoining area. The goal is to evacuate a protected area within 2.5 minutes of the alarm.

Travel Distances (Normal Risk)

Single direction (dead end): 9m.
Multiple directions: 18m.
These distances are flexible and can be increased by measures like automatic suppression or decreased based on staff response times.

Escape Route Design

Inner Rooms: These should only be used as sleeping accommodation if smoke detection is provided in the access room.
Widths: Minimum width should be 1050mm (750mm for fewer than 5 people), with wider routes required for bed evacuation.
Stairways: Protected stairways are places of reasonable safety and must be kept clear of all combustibles. External stairs require fire-resisting protection for any windows/doors within 1.8m horizontally or 9m vertically.
Final Exits: Doors must be easily openable without a key or code.

Help for People with Special Needs Owners should develop Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for individuals. Refuges (protected waiting areas) must lead to a protected escape route and should not rely on the fire service for the actual rescue.

Section 5: Emergency Escape Lighting

Emergency lighting must illuminate escape routes, exit doors, changes in floor level, and firefighting equipment when normal lighting fails.

Coverage: Required for internal routes, windowless rooms/toilets over 8m², and areas used during darkness.
Way-Guidance: Low-level photoluminescent tracks can assist those escaping through smoke.
Testing: Maintenance includes a monthly function test and an annual full discharge test.

Section 6: Signs and Notices

All safety signs must be pictograms; text-only signs are not compliant.

Positioning: Exit signs should be positioned so the next sign is always in sight along the route. They should be fixed above doors (2.0m to 2.5m height).
Notices: "Fire Action" notices should be posted at call points and in staff rooms. Fire doors must be labelled "Fire door - keep shut".

Section 7: Management, Training, and Recording

Good management ensures preventative measures remain effective.

Record Keeping If employing five or more people or being licensed, owners must record significant FRA findings, preventative measures, and the emergency plan. A log book should track all tests (alarms, lighting) and maintenance.

Emergency and Contingency Plans A written plan must cover warning procedures, evacuation methods, and staff duties. Contingency plans are required for when safety systems (like sprinklers or AFD) are out of order. An "emergency box" with resident medication and needs data should be taken out during an evacuation.

Staff Training All staff (including agency/temporary) must receive induction training and regular refreshers. Training must cover alarm recognition, evacuation procedures for different dependencies, the importance of fire doors, and the location of escape routes. Staff physically moving residents require specific training in manual handling and evacuation aids.

Fire Marshals and Drills Appointed Fire Marshals require comprehensive training in search procedures, human behaviour, and liaising with the fire service. Fire drills should be held at least annually and should include simulations of night-time conditions with applicable staffing levels

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information within these pages are accurate and not misleading, LESH Consulting Ltd cannot accept any liability for any loss or liability arising from the use of any such information.