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Benfield Fire Safety

Benfield Fire Safety

Care home fire safety

Preparing for a fire safety audit in a residential care home

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Benfield Fire Safety attended a great presentation at FIREX International 2019 delivered by Chris Callow of London Fire Brigade and hosted by the FPA. It was titled ‘Fire Safety in Residential Care Homes – Common Failures and Lessons Learned’.

Chris said that the London Fire Brigade among other fire authorities will be auditing all care homes under their authority to ensure compliance with fire safety law. Audits are due to take place in September and October 2019. Those found to be non-compliant could be served with enforcement and prosecution may take place.

Here are some points to consider in order to prepare for your audit:

  1. Do your staff only undergo eLearning as the method of fire safety education, if so, you need to move towards blended learning as eLearning is a one-dimensional approach that is not fit for purpose.
  2. How many staff are employed on your nightshift and how many service users do you have? Can your staff effectively move residents in a compartment of up to six bedrooms into another area of the building and behind two fire doors as part of your evacuation strategy within 2.5 minutes?
  3. Have you tested your evacuation strategy in a simulated capacity, not involving residents, of course, to see if you can achieve the evacuation strategy within the prescribed timeframes?
  4. Do you ensure for the night shift that the fire authority is called before other actions are addressed? Time is critical if you have a fire and the minutes lost could prove to be devastating for the occupants, families and your business.

If you own a residential care home and would like more fire safety advice – please get in touch with me by calling 0300 303 3277 or emailing customerservice@benfieldfs.co.uk

Flexible training on how to use evacuation sledges in care homes

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Here at Benfield Fire Safety, we appreciate that staff training in a care home environment can be a juggling act. This is why we offer flexible fire safety training, including teaching staff how to use evacuation sledges to prepare them should the worst happen. We’ll even turn up on a Friday evening and not charge you extra.

Why are evacuation sledges so important?

Evacuation sledges in care homes are a key asset when it comes to fire safety and response. Residents can be moved out of the building either in a vertical or horizontal fashion. The sledge protects them from any bumps along the way and is easy for staff to manoeuvre.

However, the first time staff use this important fire safety equipment should not be when faced with serious or impending danger. Alarmingly, not all fire safety training providers offer this important tuition.

What does the training involve?

When we visit your care home to train staff to use evacuation sledges, we use simulated casualties. This ensures that all staff can take part in the exercise and benefit from a realistic scenario played out to the highest possible training standards. No-one is expected to act as the casualty and put him or herself at risk.

Whether you need evening fire training or sessions to fit in around different staff shifts, we can offer you quality training to meet your needs. Plus we won’t charge a premium for this.

Quality evacuation sledge training

Benfield Fire Safety is highly experienced in care home fire safety and works flexibly to offer clients support ranging from fire safety risk assessments to policy creation and fire safety training.

All of our fire safety trainers are ex-fire officers with more than 25 years’ experience in the fire sector. We work to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Care Home Regulations Act 2001 and also the HM Government guidance for care homes. Plus we are an IOSH approved training provider, qualified to advise care homes on evacuation chairs and sledges.

To find out more about our flexible care home fire safety training please get in touch with Benfield Fire Safety by calling 0300 303 3277 or emailing customerservice@benfieldfs.co.uk

 

Evacuation Chairs: a Beginner’s Guide

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If you have a lift in your building, the chances are that you also need an evacuation chair. Using lifts in the event of a fire is generally forbidden, but you must ensure that all people – regardless of their mobility – can still exit safely in the event of an emergency.

What is an evacuation chair?

An evacuation chair – or sometimes a mat or sledge – helps people with mobility issues to get downstairs quickly in the event in an emergency.

Who needs an evacuation chair?

It’s not only people in wheelchairs for whom you need to provide an evacuation chair. Others that may need them include:

  • Visually impaired people
  • People with balance issues
  • Women in the later stages of pregnancy
  • The elderly and infirm
  • People with joint problems, especially in the hips or knees
  • Anyone who’d struggle to descend stairs quickly

How do evacuation chairs work?

Most evacuation chairs use the weight of the person in the chair to apply downward pressure to a brake-belt system, which ensures the chair moves down the stairs at a controlled speed. When arriving at ground level, the chairs can usually be used as wheelchairs to further aid a swift exit to safety.

All evacuation chairs in the UK require at least one person to operate the chair, assisting the person with the mobility issues that is sat within it. Many chairs require two operators. Training is important with evacuation chairs. Using one can be nerve-wracking, especially with the added pressure of an emergency.

Evacuation chairs vs. evacuation mats and sledges

Evacuation mats and sledges don’t have any built-in speed controls. They are fully reliant on the strength and agility of the operators to control the rate of descent as they slide down the stairs.

Unlike evacuation chairs, evacuation mats and sledges are at ground level. Depending on the nature of the mobility issues for the evacuee, this can present additional challenges for them and for operators when entering and exiting the mat/sledge, and can slow-down exit from the building as the evacuee must first get off of the mat/sledge before making their way to safety.

However, mats and sledges are cheap and flexible, so they may be the better choice for you depending on your circumstances and the people you’re assisting.

Evacuation chairs and the law

Are evacuation chairs a legal requirement? This is something that should have been identified in your fire risk assessment, but the answer is: It depends.

If, at any time, you have people in your building that would find it difficult to descend a flight of stairs at speed, then yes, you need an evacuation chair or other aid, and operators trained to use it.

As the building owner or manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone can exit the building in the event of a fire, taking account of lifts that will be out of action.

How many evacuation chairs do you need?

The answer to “How many evacuation chairs do I need?” should be in your fire risk assessment because it depends on the number of people that the chairs are intended to help. For example, a care home or hospice will probably need greater provision than an office. It also depends on the nature of your building. For example, if your building has refuge points or places of relative safety, your Fire Emergency Evacuation Plans may allow you to re-use a single evacuation chair to help several people exit your building.

Where should evacuation chairs be located

Again, this is a matter for your Fire Risk Assessment. If you need evacuation chairs, then they need to be located wherever your potential users might be. As a guide, the chairs should, as a minimum, be located at the top of every stairwell to allow for a scenario in which one or more stairwells is out of action due to the emergency incident.

Buying an evacuation chair

Cost is always a consideration in buying evacuation chairs, but it should not be your only consideration.

Who will operate it?

Some chairs rely on upper body strength to control them. To minimise the risk of an accident in which the evacuee is dropped down the stairs, consider who will be moving the chair, and what they can reasonably manage.

If you’re relying on the same operators to move several people down the stairs, remember that the operators may be tired from earlier evacuations, and take this into account.

If you can, try the chairs before you buy.

How many people does the chair take to operate it?

Some chairs require one operator and some require two. You must train all operators on how to use the chair, so think about ongoing training costs before you buy. We recommend that training is refreshed annually so that you stay prepared for an emergency.

Remember that if a chair requires two operators, you may need to train four people so that you are covered for staff absence and leavers.

Where will it be used?

How wide is your narrowest escape route? Make sure that you arm yourself with this information before you shop so that you can compare the turning circles of the chairs you are considering.

See if your retailer will allow you to trial the chair in your building before you buy.

Is it easy to use?

In an emergency, your operators will be under stress and will need to act quickly to get the evacuee (and themselves) to safety. The chair needs to be quick and simple to set-up, and easy to use on the descent. Avoid fiddly or complicated chairs.

How does it feel to sit in the chair?

Emergency evacuations are distressing, so it’s important that the evacuee feels secure in the chair to avoid delays caused by panic. If your potential evacuees have conditions which cause them pain, then consider comfort as well. Equally, if your potential evacuees are obese or larger than average in build, the chair will need to be big and strong enough to accommodate them.

When you review the chairs, sit in them yourself.

  • Which makes you feel most secure?
  • Which is most comfortable?
  • Which has the widest seat?
  • Which has the greatest weight tolerance?

How to use an evacuation chair

Online training and instruction manuals can only give you pointers on using your chair. To ensure your people are both confident and competent in the face of an emergency, they need to practice using the chair, ideally in your own building.

Using an evacuation chair can be stressful. That’s why our course first builds confidence through practice with a life-like weighted mannequin before trainees experience what it’s like in the chair, and practice evacuating one another. Learn more about our evacuation chair course.

For help and advice on evacuation chairs, get in touch

We offer fire safety consultation, fire risk assessments and a range of fire safety training courses including evacuation chair training. To discuss your fire safety concerns, contact Benfield Fire Safety by calling 0300 303 3277 or emailing customerservice@benfieldfs.co.uk

Meet our care home fire safety experts at The Southern Care Show

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Benfield Fire Safety is proud to sponsor and exhibit at the biggest adult social care show in the South of England next week (14 May).

Fire safety in care homes has never been more important after a recent investigation by London Fire Brigade, which found that out of 177 care homes in the capital, more than half had serious fire safety failures.

We’ll be at the show to talk to care home managers about the top hazards they might encounter and the precautions they can put in place with the help of qualified and experienced fire risk assessors.

We have more than 20 years’ experience in care home fire safety and can offer full support to care home operators from fire safety assessments to policy creation and fire safety training. 

Meet our team on Stand D13 at the Southern Care Show which takes place on at Farnborough International Centre on 14 May 2019. We’re also sponsoring the Theatre where speakers include the Minister of State for Care Caroline Dinenage, the Rt Hon Professor Paul Burstow from the Social Care Institute for Excellence, and Deborah Ivanova from the Care Quality Commission.

Please contact us if you’re attending the Southern Care Show and would like to arrange a quick chat with a member of the team about our fire safety services and how we support the care sector. To get in touch with Benfield Fire Safety call 0300 303 3277 or email customerservice@benfieldfs.co.uk

 

Are your care home fire safety plans up to standard?

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Residential home managers around the country are being urged to review their care home fire safety plans and staff training following the publication of an investigation by the London Fire Brigade.

The report, which was published in February 2019, found that of 177 care homes in the capital:

  • 29% had failures relating to fire doors within their premises
  • 10% had inadequate training for staff and managers
  • 14% had evidence of poor emergency planning or a potential lack of staff to implement emergency plans

In total, more than half of all care homes in the capital were found to have serious fire safety failures. Furthermore, fire risk assessments were being carried out by people without the proper skills and experience.

Sadly, these findings will not be restricted to London. Care homes across the country need to review and act on these findings for the safety of their residents and to avoid fires such as the one which killed two people in a Hertfordshire residential home in 2017.

The top fire hazards in care homes

According to the London Fire Brigade, 45% of fires in residential homes are caused by cooking and cookers, 15% by kitchen appliances, and 12% are smoking-related.

So, what can you do to mitigate these risks?

  • Encourage residents who smoke to quit, or have strict rules for where they can do so under supervision, to ensure the safety of the resident and care home
  • Install and maintain fire detection and suppression systems, like sprinklers
  • Have an emergency plan and carry out staff training

Emergency planning for your care home

The first course of action is to have a qualified assessor carry out a risk assessment. They need to be aware of the varied legislation for care homes and be members of The Institute of Fire Safety Managers. Always check their credentials before engaging their services.

Next, carry out staff training, including simulating a realistic emergency situation using state-of-the-art training equipment. Care home managers will also want their staff to have Evacuation Chair Training, which can be given by an IOSH approved training provider.

If you think care home fire safety training will be difficult to manage alongside the day-to-day running of your home, you might be surprised about how easy it is to arrange. Training can be carried out in your care home using digital fire simulators, laser fire extinguishers and smoke goggles, which are no risk to participating staff or your home.

A key part of your emergency plans will be to make sure you have the right number of staff on the night shift. They need to all be aware of what to do if a fire is discovered, including identifying escape routes, plans for individual residents, and how to alert the fire service. Two-way walkie talkies will also help staff members communicate in an emergency.

Finding expert care home fire safety advice and training

Benfield Fire Safety is experienced in care home fire safety and can offer you full and ongoing support providing fire safety assessments to policy creation and fire safety training using state-of-the-art equipment to help make the fire emergency as realistic as possible.

All of our fire risk assessors are ex-fire officers with more than 25 years’ experience in the fire sector. We ensure your care home is compliant with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Care Home Regulations Act 2001 and also the HM Government guidance for care homes. Plus, we are an IOSH approved training provider.

To find out more about our care home fire safety services please get in touch with me here at Benfield Fire Safety by calling 0300 303 3277 or emailing customerservice@benfieldfs.co.uk