DC20-Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set out fire-prevention, risk-assessment and emergency-response arrangements for {{org_field_name}} service users, staff and visitors. It reflects the Health and Social Care Act 2008 regulatory framework and, where it applies to premises or common parts for which the organisation is the Responsible Person, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It does not treat the Fire Safety Order as applying to the private domestic parts of a service user’s home.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all {{org_field_name}} employees, service users, contractors, and visitors who engage with the company’s operations. As domiciliary care staff work within service users’ homes, it is crucial that they are vigilant in identifying fire hazards and understand their role in evacuation and safety procedures tailored to each individual’s needs.

3. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

This policy aligns with the following legislation and regulatory requirements:

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended.
Building Safety Act 2022, in particular Section 156, which amended the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and introduced additional duties for Responsible Persons relating to recording, co-operation, co-ordination and the sharing of fire safety information.
Care Act 2014.
Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, particularly Regulation 12 – Safe care and treatment.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to relevant non-domestic premises for which {{org_field_name}} is a Responsible Person, including applicable workplace premises and relevant non-domestic or common parts of buildings.

The Fire Safety Order does not generally apply within an individual service user’s private domestic premises. Fire risks identified within a service user’s home will therefore be assessed and managed as part of the organisation’s responsibilities for safe care delivery, staff health and safety, individual risk assessment and compliance with Regulation 12.

Where {{org_field_name}} shares responsibility for premises with a landlord, building owner, managing agent, another employer or another Responsible Person, the organisation will comply with the applicable statutory requirements for co-operation, co-ordination and information sharing.

4. Responsibilities

Responsibility for fire safety is shared according to the nature of the premises and each person’s role.

Registered Manager

The Registered Manager is responsible for:

Ensuring appropriate fire safety arrangements are established and implemented.
Ensuring staff receive appropriate fire safety information, instruction and training.
Ensuring fire risks relevant to the delivery of domiciliary care are appropriately assessed and managed.
Ensuring individual service user fire risks are reflected in care plans and risk assessments where necessary.
Ensuring identified concerns are appropriately escalated to the service user, representative, landlord, housing provider, fire and rescue service or other relevant party where appropriate.
Ensuring fire incidents are reported, investigated and notified externally where required.

Responsible Person for Premises

Where {{org_field_name}} is a Responsible Person within the meaning of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person will ensure compliance with the duties applicable to the premises.

This includes:

Ensuring a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed and regularly reviewed.
Recording the fire risk assessment in full, including all findings.
Recording the organisation’s fire safety arrangements.
Recording the identity of any person or organisation engaged to undertake or review the fire risk assessment.
Recording and keeping updated the Responsible Person’s required contact information, including an appropriate UK address.
Taking reasonably practicable steps to identify any other Responsible Persons who share, or have duties in relation to, the same premises.
Exchanging information with other Responsible Persons regarding names, contact details and the extent of respective responsibilities.
Co-operating and co-ordinating with other Responsible Persons so that fire safety measures operate effectively across the premises.
Maintaining appropriate written records demonstrating compliance with these requirements.
Providing relevant fire safety information to an incoming Responsible Person where responsibility for the premises changes.

Where the premises are leased or shared, {{org_field_name}} will establish which fire safety responsibilities rest with the provider and which rest with the landlord, building owner, managing agent or other Responsible Person.

Care Staff

Care staff must:

Remain alert to fire hazards encountered while providing care.
Follow individual service user fire safety arrangements and emergency plans.
Report newly identified or increased fire risks promptly.
Follow evacuation and emergency procedures appropriate to the person’s assessed needs.
Not place themselves or others at unnecessary risk when responding to a fire.
Follow instructions issued by the emergency services.

Service Users and Visitors

Service users and visitors will be encouraged to follow applicable fire safety guidance and to co-operate with reasonable measures designed to reduce identified fire risks.

5. Fire Prevention Measures

{{org_field_name}} will maintain proportionate fire prevention and risk management arrangements relevant to both its own premises and the provision of domiciliary care.

Premises Subject to the Fire Safety Order

Where {{org_field_name}} is a Responsible Person for premises covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005:

A suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment will be completed and regularly reviewed.
Identified preventive and protective measures will be implemented.
Emergency routes and exits will be kept clear and appropriately maintained.
Appropriate fire detection, warning and firefighting equipment will be provided and maintained where required.
Electrical and heating equipment for which {{org_field_name}} is responsible will be appropriately maintained.
Flammable and combustible materials will be safely managed.
Employees and other relevant persons will receive appropriate fire safety information, instruction and training.
Emergency procedures will be established and maintained.
Fire safety arrangements will be co-ordinated with other Responsible Persons where premises are shared.

Service Users’ Own Homes

An individual service user’s private home is not generally subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 merely because domiciliary care is provided there.

However, {{org_field_name}} will assess fire risks that may affect the safe delivery of care or place the service user or staff at foreseeable risk.

Individual fire safety risk assessments will consider, where relevant:

Smoking and the use of smoking materials.
Oxygen therapy and other sources of increased fire risk.
Candles, open flames and portable heating appliances.
Electrical hazards and unsafe appliances observed during care delivery.
Overloaded sockets or extension leads.
Cooking risks.
Accumulation of combustible materials or hoarding.
Blocked or restricted escape routes.
The availability and apparent condition of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms where relevant.
Mobility, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment or other factors that could affect the person’s ability to recognise or respond to a fire.
The person’s ability to leave the property safely.
Equipment dependencies that may affect evacuation.
The availability of family, informal carers or other support.

Where significant fire risks are identified, the care plan and risk assessment will specify appropriate control measures, staff actions and escalation arrangements.

Where {{org_field_name}} does not have legal control over the property or the relevant fire safety equipment, concerns will be reported to the appropriate person or organisation, which may include the service user, representative, landlord, housing provider, local authority or fire and rescue service.

Staff must not undertake firefighting activities that would place themselves or another person at unreasonable risk. The priority in the event of a fire is to raise the alarm, call the emergency services and evacuate where this can be done safely.

6. Fire Emergency Procedures

In the event of a fire, domiciliary care staff must act quickly and decisively to ensure the safety of service users. The following steps must be taken:

Upon discovering a fire:
- Raise the alarm immediately by calling 999 or 112.
- Alert the service user and any other occupants, ensuring they are aware of the situation.
- If it is safe to do so, attempt to contain the fire using appropriate extinguishers or fire blankets.
- Do not delay evacuation in order to contain or fight a fire. Raise the alarm, call 999 and assist the service user to leave only where this can be done safely and in accordance with the person-specific emergency plan.

Evacuation Procedures for Service Users:

Each service user will have an individual risk assessment that considers their mobility and cognitive abilities. Staff must familiarise themselves with these assessments to ensure an efficient response in emergencies.
If the service user is ambulatory, guide them to the nearest safe exit.
If the service user has mobility impairments, assist them using pre-planned evacuation techniques, such as supporting them physically or using mobility aids.
If the service user cannot be evacuated safely, staff must not attempt an unplanned manoeuvre beyond their training or place themselves at unreasonable risk. Staff must give 999 the person’s precise location, mobility and communication needs, oxygen or equipment dependencies and known hazards; follow the person-specific emergency plan; and withdraw to safety if remaining would be unsafe.
Once outside, take the service user to a safe assembly point and provide reassurance until emergency services arrive.

7. Fire Safety Training

To ensure that all staff members are competent in fire safety:

Annual fire safety training sessions will be conducted.
Staff will receive fire-safety training proportionate to their role, including identifying and escalating home fire risks and following person-specific emergency arrangements. Fire-extinguisher instruction will be provided only where its use forms part of the assessed role and safe system; staff must never use an extinguisher if this would delay escape or compromise their escape route.
Fire drills will be carried out at least once a year to assess staff readiness.

8. Reporting and Record-Keeping

All fire safety checks, assessments, incidents, training and actions for which {{org_field_name}} is responsible must be appropriately documented.

Records Required Under the Fire Safety Order

Where {{org_field_name}} is a Responsible Person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the organisation will:

Record the completed fire risk assessment in full, including all findings.
Record the fire safety arrangements for the premises.
Record the identity and, where applicable, organisation of any person engaged to undertake or review all or part of the fire risk assessment.
Record the Responsible Person’s relevant contact information.
Record information relating to the identification of other Responsible Persons and the extent of respective responsibilities where premises are shared.
Maintain records of relevant co-operation, co-ordination and information sharing.
Keep the fire risk assessment and fire safety arrangements under review and update records where necessary.
Ensure records are accessible when required by the relevant enforcing authority.
Provide relevant fire safety information to any incoming Responsible Person where responsibility for the premises changes, and maintain an appropriate record of that transfer.

Fire safety records will not be routinely destroyed solely because three years have elapsed. Records will be retained for as long as necessary to demonstrate current and historical compliance, support review and investigation, and meet applicable statutory information-sharing and handover duties.

Domiciliary Care Fire Safety Records

For service users receiving care in their own homes, records will include, where applicable:

Individual fire safety or environmental risk assessments.
Fire risks identified during care delivery.
Agreed control measures.
Emergency and evacuation considerations.
Reports of concerns to the service user, representative, landlord, housing provider, fire and rescue service or other relevant party.
Changes made to care plans or risk assessments.
Fire-related incidents, near misses and actions taken.

Fire Incidents

In the event of a fire or significant fire-related incident, staff must complete an incident report and notify the Registered Manager without delay.

The Registered Manager will ensure that:

Immediate safety actions are recorded.
Relevant risk assessments and care plans are reviewed.
Appropriate investigations are completed.
Lessons learned and corrective actions are documented.
Relevant external notifications are made where legally required.
Fire safety procedures, training or control measures are amended where necessary.

9. Review and Continuous Improvement

This policy will be reviewed at least annually, when relevant law or authoritative guidance changes, after a fire or near miss, or when monitoring identifies a need for amendment. Each review will record the sources checked and any actions required; it will not be treated as certification of legal compliance.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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