Angus has been involved in developing and writing British and International Fire & Safety standards since the mid-1980s. The list of standards that he has participated in is impressive and includes BS5839-1, BS8629, EN54-18 and ISO7240-2. Angus utilises his extensive experience to provide an authoritative perspective on the key issues that affect the Fire & Security Industry today.
The care home environment presents unique challenges as residents might not have the ability to evacuate safely on their own. By law, all care homes in England are responsible to meet national standards of quality and safety.
The legal framework for Fire & Safety regulations in care premises is based on two laws:
1. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Regulatory Reform Oder (Fire Safety Order) (RRO) is probably one of the most significant changes in fire safety legislation this country has ever seen. Under the RRO, the responsibility for Fire Safety lies with the care provider and with a responsible person such as a registered manager or owner.
The RRO is a Risk Assessment-based regime, and it is designed to provide a minimum fire safety standard. The government has issued different guides for different sectors including residential care premises. It also provides detailed guidelines on how to carry out Fire Safety Risk Assessments, keep them up to date and how to adjust the document if there is a change in a building layout. This guide is intended for non-domestic residential premises with staff in attendance at all times and where many, most or all of the residents would require carer assistance to be safe in the event of a fire.
These could include:
- residential and nursing homes
- rehabilitation premises providing residential treatment and care for addiction
- care homes and care homes with nursing
2. The Care Home Regulations Act (2001)
The Care Home Regulations Act (2001), sets out minimum standards for Care Homes. It includes a comprehensive exploration of many subjects such as: appointment of managers and registered persons, conduct of care homes, resident health and welfare, complaints and admin, fitness of employees.
It also lays out regulations for Fire Safety, a vital element of safeguarding vulnerable residents, who will often need special attention and care during fire emergencies.
As the manager or owner of a care facility, there are several key responsibilities under this regulation, such as:
- Consulting fire authorities for advice on the best fire safety strategy to implement in your care facility
- To undertake all the necessary precautions to reduce the risk of a fire occurring
- Make arrangements for the fire detection systems
- Ensure the regular maintenance and compliance of fire safety equipment
- Be responsible for the training of care home staff, and the appointment of competent fire wardens for the premises
- Organise regular fire drills to practice evacuation procedures
Compliance with these laws should be a high priority to a care home manager or owner as non-compliance could have serious legal consequences or even put lives in risk. The starting point could be to ensure that your Fire Safety Risk Assessment is suitable, sufficient, and up to date.
Got a question about Fire Risk Assessments? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
Following the recommendations of BS5839 Part 1 2017 (Fire Alarm British Standard), it is a mandatory requirement to have an up to date, clear and accurate Fire Alarm Zone Chart adjacent to your Fire Alarm Control Panel and any repeater panels you have in your premises.
The purpose of the Zone Chart is to assist persons responding to an alarm to quickly identify the specific location in the building and to help the Fire Brigade understand the building layout before they enter.
When the Fire Alarm System is installed, the building is divided into Fire Zones. Any Manual Call Point (Red Box) or Fire Detector that is fitted will trigger a particular zone when activated.
The Zone Chart shows the division of each zone area with a ‘You are Here’ arrow to identify the position of the Fire Alarm Panel. The view of the building should be orientated in relation to the Fire Alarm Panel position to minimise confusion.
What is involved in producing a Zone Chart?
- Hard copy
- Or preferably AutoCAD (dwg) format
You have a legal duty of care to dispose of waste legitimately and safely via a licensed waste carrier. Failure to do so can result in prosecution, even if you have outsourced the disposal to a third party.
The Fixfire® Extinguisher Recycling Process is your reassurance that any Fire Extinguishers we remove from your premises have been disposed of in a safe and legal manner. 97% of each processed Fire Extinguisher is recycled.
Our contracted Extinguisher Recycling Unit (ERU) is a dedicated facility offering a service for the safe processing and recycling/disposal of fire extinguishers. The facility operates closely with the local Water Authority and the Environment Agency to develop safe, efficient and environmentally friendly processes, ensuring that ISO14001 certification is upheld.
Got a question about Fire Extinguisher Disposal? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
False Fire Alarms remain a huge concern within the education sector- interrupting already carefully scheduled, planned and well-prepared lessons or even causing major disruption and distress to exams.
Clearly, these false alarms cause significant inconvenience and disruption to students, staff, and visitors. They compromise everyone’s safety in the school and present a significant risk to the local community since the Fire Brigade will prioritise the school over other emergency callouts.
Solutions you should consider:
The first and most straightforward way is to use anti-tamper products.
Fixfire® supplies a wide range of solutions designed to protect Fire Alarm Devices from inadvertent damage or deliberate misuse/vandalism.
Products include:
- Local plastic cover flaps which attach directly to manual call points.
- The stopper consists of a clear, tamperproof, tough polycarbonate cover, frame and spacer that retrofits over a break glass call point. When lifted to operate the break glass unit, its optional battery powered integral sounder emits a piercing 96dB (at 1m). Immediate attention is drawn to the area and a prankster will either run or be caught!
- A range of steel web stoppers designed to protect fire detectors and warning devices. They are constructed from heavy-duty galvanised steel rod which is plastic-coated for durability and external use.
- A range of polycarbonate enclosures are available for the protection of devices such as fire alarm control panels and associated control equipment. The enclosures combine tough rugged construction with stylish design and offer excellent protection with a key lock for authorised access.
We also provide anti-tamper devices for fire extinguishers and associated products.
KeyCall® is a patented anti-ligature Fire Alarm and Access Control call point. It is designed to use the same key as the doors, providing simple operation for staff whilst eliminating nuisance activations by service-users.
KeyCall® has been developed by Fixfire® specifically for approved applications where standard versions would be vulnerable to abuse.
It is one of the best solutions for SEN schools and it is also compatible with a wide range of Conventional and Addressable Fire Alarm Systems.
Got a question about False Fire Alarms? Need Fire Safety Compliance advice? Get in touch today!
For over 45 years, Fixfire® has been providing quality products, systems and services for Life & Property Protection. Whatever your requirement, please call our Compliance Team for expert advice and a refreshingly different approach.
Freephone 08000 891999
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