Fire Safety in Care Homes (Scotland) Policy

Policy Statement

This policy is intended to set out the values, principles and policies underpinning {{org_field_name}}’s approach to fire safety. The main aim is to prevent fires, but in the event of a fire, the aim is to make sure that staff, service users and visitors or other users of the premises know exactly what to do and how to react.

This policy is produced to comply with the requirements of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the Scottish Government’s practical guidance for care homes (updated March 2014).

It reflects the person-centred values and principles set out in the national health and social care standards, My Support, My Life, particularly Standard 5.17: “My environment is secure and safe”, and helps to answer key question 4: “How good is our setting?” in the Quality Framework for Care Homes for Older People.

{{org_field_name}} recognises that staff and service users must be as safe as possible from the threat of fire or from injury in the case of an outbreak of fire. The best way to ensure that this state of safety exists is to:

have robust fire safety policies and procedures in place
ensure that staff are well trained to cope with an outbreak of fire or an alarm
ensure that appointed fire wardens are in place to manage the process and procedures to be followed
minimise the risk of fire by the use of adequate fire prevention and risk assessment techniques
ensure that fire drills are held regularly and at least twice a year
make sure that every staff member attends a fire drill at least annually
ensure that, in the event of a fire, the affected premises can be evacuated as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible
have a designated fire warden (eg duty manager) responsible for fire safety at all times.

Fire Risk Assessment

Prevention is key to the effectiveness of the fire safety policy. To control fire safety risks, {{org_field_name}} carries out a stringent programme of fire risk assessments. Our policy is to:

identify, in carrying out normal risk assessment procedures, those activities that require a safe system of work
identify safe methods of work for these activities — where necessary, these will be written formal safe systems of work
implement these systems using the expertise of employees involved in the work activities
monitor the workings of the safe systems through workplace inspections and reviewing accident/incident statistics derived from accident reporting procedures.

In line with these general principles, the aims of the fire risk assessment are to:

identify any fire hazards
reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low a level as reasonably practicable
decide what physical fire precautions and management arrangements are necessary to ensure the safety of people in the building if a fire does start.

_____________________ is responsible for carrying out fire risk assessments.

Checking Procedures

Daily checks

A designated staff member (usually duty manager) carries out spot-checks on a daily basis at different times throughout the day and night to make sure that:

fire doors are always closed
fire exits and stairways are free of clutter
all unnecessary electrical equipment and heaters are turned off
storerooms or rubbish areas do not have smouldering fires
areas where contractors have been working are free of fire hazards
access points for Fire Rescue Services are clear and unobstructed.

All checks are recorded and regularly reviewed by the designated fire safety manager.

Weekly checks

Weekly checks are also made to make sure that:

alarm systems function and can be heard in all parts of the building
all fire-fighting equipment is in good repair and is in the proper place
any stocks of flammable materials or gases used in the home are kept to an absolute minimum and are stored safely away
all goods and boxes are safely stored away to minimise clutter, reduce the fuel available to a fire and to enable people to exit the building safely in the event of an emergency
all fire instruction notices and no smoking notices are in place and have not been obscured
individual rooms do not contain obvious fire hazards such as overfull waste baskets or portable heaters placed close to curtains
all electrical equipment is free of obvious defects such as worn or broken cables and leads
security arrangements are all in place to discourage arson.

All checks are recorded and regularly reviewed by the designated fire safety manager.

Annual checks

Formal comprehensive annual checks are made on:

fire alarm systems
smoke detectors
emergency lighting
sprinkler systems
fire-fighting equipment.

The alarm system fitted is _____________________.

The engineers contracted to service the fire alarm systems are _____________________ tel: _____________________.

The company contracted to service the fire extinguishers is _____________________ tel: _____________________.

Principles for Fire Outbreak Procedures

The fire procedures are based upon the following principles.

In the event of fire, the safety of life should override all other considerations, such as saving property or extinguishing the fire.
If a fire is discovered, the alarm should be raised immediately as the first action taken.
All employees are empowered to take this action if they believe there is a fire and no authority need be sought from any other person.
The organisation will always support employees who operate the fire alarm system in good faith, regardless of whether or not it is ultimately determined that a fire existed.
The organisation does not require persons to attempt to extinguish a fire, but extinguishing action may be taken if it is safe to do so after the alarm has been raised.

Protocol to be Followed in the Event of Fire or Suspected Fire

On discovery or suspicion of a fire

Staff are asked to remain as calm as possible.
The first person aware of the fire or on the scene will raise the alarm immediately by operating the nearest break-glass call-point or by shouting “Fire!”.
If the suspicion is raised by seeing smoke coming from under a door or by seeing smoke in a closed room, staff must on no account attempt to open the door but should raise the alarm and summon the fire and rescue service as quickly as possible.
Small fires may be fought with the appropriate fire extinguisher, but only if it is safe to do so and only if the alarm has first been raised.

In the event of a fire or the fire alarm sounding

Staff should do the following.

Evacuate the building immediately according to the home’s evacuation plan and go to the nearest designated fire assembly point.
Remain as calm as possible and help any service users, visitors, disabled persons or contractors on the premises to evacuate.
Where possible and safe to do so, check all rooms (in particular toilets) to ensure no service users or staff remain in them or are trapped.
Close all doors.
Ensure that any person not accounted for is immediately reported to the home manager (or deputy), nominated fire warden or fire and rescue service officer.

Staff should never:

stop to collect valuables or possessions
use lifts
open doors where they can see smoke coming through unless that is the only means of escape
attempt to re-enter the building until told it is safe to do so by {{org_field_name}} manager (or deputy), by a nominated fire warden or by a fire and rescue service officer.

{{org_field_name}} manager (or nominated fire safety warden) is responsible for ensuring that:

the fire and rescue service has been called
the fire and rescue service is met on arrival
the staff nominal roll, service user roll and visitor book is removed from the building and used to account for staff, service users and visitors by roll call
any person not accounted for is immediately reported to the fire and rescue service upon arrival.

The appointed fire safety wardens are responsible for:

supervising evacuation assembly points
carrying out roll calls
liaising with the fire and rescue service on arrival.

Management and Administration

{{org_field_name}} manager is expected to:

ensure that staff know they should contact emergency services immediately in the event of a fire or if a fire is suspected
keep staffing levels at the home, both during the day and night, under careful review to ensure there are sufficient staff in the home at any time to implement the set evacuation plans
access appropriate advice and expert support in fire safety as required from local fire authorities and contractors
ensure that sufficient fire risk assessments are carried out and kept under review.

Fire Safety Records

Full records of fire precautions and checks are kept in a fire safety records log. This information is entered by the staff member who carries out the daily/weekly checks, by the fire safety lead or by one of the nominated fire wardens and includes:

for fire drills: the times and dates of drills and the time between sounding the alarm and the last person leaving the building
for fire alarm tests: the times and dates of tests
for fire-fighting equipment, alarms and fittings such as emergency lighting: the times and dates of inspections, of replacements and of servicing
for training: times and dates of training events, who attended and what was covered
records of all daily/weekly/annual fire safety checks carried out.

_____________________ is responsible for ensuring that the staff and service user nominal rolls are kept up to date.

All fire safety records are kept for a minimum of three years.

Personnel

The fire safety lead is responsible for ensuring that the correct fire procedures and arrangements are in place. The fire safety lead is _____________________.

Fire wardens are responsible for supporting the fire safety lead. The nominated fire wardens for {{org_field_name}} are _____________________. Nominated fire warden posts are reviewed every _____________________.

{{org_field_name}}’s fire advisor is _____________________ tel: _____________________.

The local Fire and Rescue Service team/link person can be contacted at _____________________.

Training

All new staff must understand the policy on fire safety as part of their induction process.

All members of staff must be aware of the procedures in case of a fire at {{org_field_name}} premises. They must also all be aware of how they must respond in the event of an emergency.

_____________________ is responsible for organising and co-ordinating fire safety training.

All new and existing staff are expected to know:

who is responsible for ensuring the correct fire procedure is carried out
who the fire wardens are and who the duty fire warden is
the location and usage of all fire extinguishers and where special extinguishers (eg those suitable for use on electrical equipment) are located
the location of break-glass fire alarm points
the emergency fire evacuation procedures
how to use {{org_field_name}} communication systems to make announcements
how to use the internal telephone systems to call for the fire and rescue service.

In-house training sessions for existing staff are arranged so that all relevant staff can attend a session every _____________________.

General fire safety training includes instruction on fire prevention, on what to do in the event of a fire and on fire fighting. Records are kept in the fire log of who attended each session. Staff who do not attend are reminded to attend the next session. All staff must attend fire training, including night staff and part-time staff.

Designated fire safety wardens and staff with specific fire safety responsibilities receive additional specialist training.

Monitoring and Review

The policy is reviewed annually or after any fire-related incident or change in external guidance.

All fire-related incidents, including false alarms and near-misses, are routinely investigated thoroughly by {{org_field_name}} manager and the fire risk assessment amended as necessary. Professional fire safety advice is obtained for this review where required.

Changes arising from the results of any review are routinely communicated to staff and all persons concerned.

The Care Inspectorate is informed without delay of any notifiable event relating to breaches of fire safety.

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}}

SCH89. Fire Safety in Care Homes