Robert Starr is a Business Defence Lawyer who works closely with companies and individuals on a wide range of regulatory issues including a nationally recognised practice in fire safety matters. In this article, he provides an overview of the legal framework for fire safety in care homes ahead of anticipated changes next year.

Following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, the Government has been consulting on a series of proposals to strengthen existing fire safety legislation and implement recommendations arising out of the Grenfell Inquiry. Though many of these proposals are designed to address the complexities surrounding high-rise residential accommodation, a number of potential changes will have an impact on the care sector. In anticipation of this, it is worthwhile to reflect on the current position of fire safety legislation for care providers.

The Fire Safety Order

The governing legislation for fire safety in England and Wales is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Order). It provides an assessment based approach to fire safety (arguably one of, if not the, most significant risks in residential care settings) and ensures that those best placed to identify and manage risks in care premises are responsible for doing so. The Order imposes a number of duties on a “responsible person” to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) and to implement appropriate safety measures to minimise the risks identified in the FRA. It is a common mistake for duty holders to allocate this as a specific role to an individual, but the responsible person will be, for the majority of residential care and nursing homes, the operator. In addition, every person with control of the premises (such as a registered manager) and those with maintenance and safety responsibilities (including a fire risk assessor) are likely to have duties under the Order.

Fire safety duties

The Order imposes obligations on the responsible person and duty-holders to take general fire precautions to ensure the safety of employees, customers and any other lawful visitors to the care home including family members and contractors. Specifically, the responsible person is required to comply with the core fire safety duties outlined in articles 8 to 22 of the Order.

These include, among others:

  • Taking general fire precautions to ensure that the premises are safe
  • Making a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk from fire and recording any significant findings in writing
  • Making and giving effect to appropriate fire safety arrangements
  • Ensuring there are measures for fire-fighting, fire detection and inclusion of appropriate equipment within the home
  • Ensuring that emergency routes and exits are maintained, kept clear and that there are appropriate evacuation arrangements in place
  • Training staff and ensuring they are aware of their roles in the event of fire
  • Ensuring that fire safety equipment and any devices are suitably maintained and kept in an efficient state, efficient working order and good repair
  • Where relevant, co-ordination and co-operation with any other duty-holders sharing the premises

Fire Risk Assessment

The importance of a comprehensive FRA must not be understated. The FRA must identify any fire hazards (the possibility of a fire occurring and the potential consequences of the fire) and detail the measures that would need to be put in place in order to reduce or eliminate such hazards as far as reasonably practicable. Where the care provider employs five or more employees, any significant findings in the FRA must be recorded in writing. The FRA is the source from which all protective measures stem. Failure to undertake a suitable and sufficient FRA is an offence under the Order where the failings place one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in the event of fire.

When engaging an external fire risk assessor, it is important to be aware that the duties under the Order do not transfer to that assessor. The operator will still be under a duty to ensure that a suitable and sufficient FRA is undertaken. As such, it is imperative that the assessor selected is competent and experienced in completing FRAs.

Challenges for care homes

Unlike most workplaces, care homes have unique sets of fire safety challenges. Residents (and sometimes visitors) will often be particularly vulnerable because of their age, disability, mobility issues and medical conditions such as dementia. Many residents, if not all, will require assistance in the event of fire, as they will be unable to reach a place of safety unaided. Those who can vacate the home unaided may not be able to do so quickly, could panic or become disorientated and confused upon activation of an alarm. The care provider will often need to discuss needs with those residents identified as being at risk and put in place specific arrangements for them, taking into account their sensory awareness, mobility and medical conditions.

Operators must also take care to ensure that the FRA does not focus solely on physical aspects of the care home such as doors, fire detection and firefighting equipment. Though building related matters are extremely important, there will also be a number of care specific issues that must be addressed through person-centred risk assessments. For example, management of residents who smoke, those reliant on oxygen or those treated with flammable ointments such as paraffin based creams. Such risks will need to be incorporated into the overall fire safety measures for the home. Often, the latter can be overlooked by external fire safety consultants, particularly those without the appropriate level of expertise in the care sector.

The contra position is where care staff complete the FRA. It is not uncommon in smaller care providers who do not have specialist fire assessors on their payroll, for pro-forma risk assessments to be undertaken by home managers. This can be problematic as a one-size fits all approach is rarely appropriate for the management of fire risk. Further, there is a general requirement within the Order that a competent person (with sufficient training, experience and knowledge) be appointed to assist with undertaking preventative and protective measures. Although currently, there is no benchmarking of competence within the Order, experience in a care setting will rarely impart the necessary competence in relation to the assessment of fire risk. Accordingly, such FRAs can expose the care provider to enforcement action by the local fire and rescue service.

Non-compliance with the Order

The consequences of failing to comply with the Order can be substantial. In the event of a fire incident, there is the potential for loss of life and serious physical or mental injury to those directly affected by the fire

There can also be significant financial cost. There are a number of enforcement options available to the enforcing authority for non-compliance with the Order. These range from provision of verbal advice to (criminal) prosecution. Failure to provide adequate fire safety measures is an offence if the failure places one or more relevant persons at the risk of death or serious injury in the case of fire. It is punishable by an unlimited fine in the Magistrates’ Court and an unlimited fine and/or two years imprisonment (for individuals) in the Crown Court irrespective of whether a fire has occurred. However, any care provider found guilty of safety failings following a serious fire should expect a hefty fine. Any fine would be compounded by the irreversible reputational damage of a prosecution and its associated publicity.

AHR Consultants has a team of experienced competent fire risk assessors. Remove the risk from your organisation by appointing us to ensure you are compliant with the Fire Safety Order and any future changes that the government make.

Call us today on 0345 076 2288 or send us an email to see how we can help.

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