The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (RRFSO) and Healthcare guidance document Llandrindod Wells 10 May 2006

Transcription

1 The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (RRFSO) and Healthcare guidance document Llandrindod Wells 10 May 2006 Prof David Charters, PhD, CEng, FIFireE Director of Fire Engineering Presented by Nigel Smithies Director BRE Fire & Security

2 REFORM OF GENERAL FIRE SAFETY LAW The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Andy Jack Head of Fire Safety Legislation Branch

3 WHY REFORM? Fire laws developed over time Piecemeal development Often resulting from large tragic fires

4 RESULT OF PIECEMEAL DEVELOPMENT Many pieces of legislation apply at the same time, with different enforcers The morass of law is difficult to understand

5 WHAT DOES THE REFORM MEAN? Consolidated law with fewer enforcers Key tool for business and enforcers to prevent fires and save lives Elevates prevention to the same level as protection

6 WHO IS RESPONSIBLE Employers (where there is one) Occupiers (includes the self employed) Owners Others where they have a contract or tenancy that gives them a degree of control over safety issues (so included contractors who install and maintain fire protection measures)

7 NOT NEW - RIA General requirement for risk assessment since 1992 Fire specific requirement for employers since 1997 Fire specific law over-rides other non-fire specific law (e.g. conditions of licence). Risk based fire precautions over-ride set fire conditions (e.g. fire regs over-rode a fire certificate)

8 Publicity for the RRFSO Series of Road Shows has just come to an end. Main publicity Starts ~16 weeks prior to commencement date ie ~ June A3 flier to all employers in England and Wales is first phase (1Million +) this may be sufficient guidance for small premises. Web Advertisements in the press. Advertisements on local radio. On-line pre-ordering for the guides.

9 Overview Background to the RRO Guidance documents Fire risk assessment process Healthcare guide Summary

10 Introduction A fire risk assessment must be carried out. If you employ five or more people etc you must record significant findings actions to be taken etc This is different from carrying out a fire precautions survey of your building. The fire risk to people must be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable Not just accidental fires - the risk of Arson is to be taken into account Enforced, primarily, by the Fire & Rescue Service - Penalty up to two years imprisonment

11 Fire risks in different occupancies Occupancy Casualties/ year Casualties/ occupant.year Probability of casualty/year Dwellings x in 910 Hotels x in 4,000 Banks etc x in 63,000 Public administration x in 7,100 Schools x in 240,000 Further Education x in 83,000 NHS x in 29,000

12 Background Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) will consolidate existing fire safety legislation, the person responsible for premises is under duty to take general fire precautions and to undertake a fire safety risk assessment to safeguard safety of all people in case of fire at all times Same duty imposed on employers by the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 Duty under the Order will be extended beyond workplaces to include the majority of premises to which people have access Order will be supported by a suite of eleven guidance documents for the majority of premises under which the order applies

13 RRO (Fire Safety) Guides Guide Fire safety in offices and shops Fire safety in factories and warehouses Fire safety in premises providing sleeping accommodation Fire safety in premises providing residential care Fire safety in educational premises Fire safety in small and medium places of assembly Fire safety in large places of assembly Fire safety in theatres and cinemas Fire safety at outdoor events Fire safety in healthcare premises Fire safety in the transport network Use All offices and retail premises All factories and warehouse storage premises All places where sleeping accommodation is provided, except hospitals, care homes, places of custody and single private dwellings Suitable for all residential and nursing homes Teaching establishments ranging from crèches through to universities Public houses, clubs, restaurants and cafés, village halls, community centres, libraries, marquees, churches and other places of worship or study accommodating up to 300 people Suitable for premises where more than 300 people could gather, eg shopping centres, large nightclubs, exhibition and conference centres, sports stadia, marquees,museums, libraries, churches, cathedrals and other places of worship or study Suitable for all theatres and cinemas Suitable for all open air events, eg theme parks, zoos, music concerts, sporting events, fairgrounds and county fairs All healthcare premises Suitable for all transportation terminals and interchanges, tunnels and sub-surface railways.

14 Guidance documents

15 Guidance documents Primarily aimed at the lay person, although can be used by enforcers Guidance documents to be published prior to order coming into effect Documents to be based on a template document (Offices and Shops) Part 1 Fire risk assessment (5 Step process) Part 2 Further information on fire risk assessment and fire precautions Appendices, providing further technical information 120 pages

16 Offices and Shops Means of escape: Number of people Mobility Impaired People Protected corridor Exit widths/stair capacity Number of escape routes/exits Travel distance Lighting/signage Evacuation strategy: Total simultaneous/phased Self evacuation Protected routes

17 Patient care areas Means of escape: Number of patients Dependency of patients Number of staff Sub-/compartmentation Height above ground Number of escape routes/exits Travel distance Lighting/signage Evacuation strategy: Progressive Horizontal Evacuation Staff assisted (bed) evacuation Protected refuge areas

18 Evacuation Offices and shops: Total simultaneous/phased Self evacuation Protected routes Hospitals: Progressive Horizontal Evacuation Staff assisted (bed) evacuation Protected/refuge areas

19 Part 1 Preface: Not prescriptive standards, but guidance Other fire risk assessment methods may be equally valid Other arrangements acceptable subject to equivalency Recent buildings acceptable subject to maintenance Not for use in designing new buildings or alternations Can be used to develop a fire strategy

20 Who should use the guide? Employers Managers Responsible persons Occupiers Employees Owners of premises and Enforcers. Less complex premises - no formal training or experience More complex premises - comprehensive training & experience

21 Responsible person Responsible person responsible for complying: Employer or Other person having control: Occupier or Owner requires fire precautions to be put in place where necessary and to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances of the case. must carry out a fire risk assessment of all relevant persons. Expected to work together if there is more than one.

22 Other duties under the order Include: Appoint competent person to implement fire safety measures Provide information to employees about risks and safeguards Consult employees or their elected representatives Provide parents with information on risks before employing a child Inform non-employees about risks and fire safety procedures Cooperate with all responsible persons in a premises Provide an employer working in your premises with information Provide others employees with instructions and information If not an employer, ensure compliance in areas for which you have control Consider the presence of dangerous substances and risk to persons Establish suitable means for contacting the emergency services Provide information, instruction and training to employees Provide maintenance of fire-fighting, AFD, means of escape etc Employees cooperate

23 What is a fire risk assessment? Aims are: Identify fire hazards in the premises To reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as reasonably practicable To decide which physical fire precautions and management policies are necessary to ensure the safety of people in your building if a fire does start Definitions: Hazard: Anything that has the potential to cause harm. Risk: The change, high, normal or low, of harm occurring. Responsible person: Someone who has control of the premises Competent person: Someone with enough training and experience or knowledge and other qualities.

24 5 Step process Step 1 Identify fire hazards Step 2 Identify people at risk Step 3 Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect Preventative measures Evaluate the risk Remove or reduce hazards Remove or reduce the risks to people Protective measures Detection and warning Fire fighting Escape routes & Lighting Signs and notices Maintenance Step 4 Record, plan, instruct, inform and train Record significant findings and actions Prepare an emergency plan Inform relevant people etc Provide training Step 5 Review Keep assessment under review Revise where necessary

25 Step 1 Identify fire hazards Checklists: Fuels Ignition sources Oxygen

26 Much of fire risk assessment is common sense! Eg Minimising hidden risks such as poor fire stopping

27 Step 2 Identify people at risk Including: Patients, employees, visitors, contractors etc Especially: Employees who work alone People who are in isolated areas of the building People who are unfamiliar with the premises Patients who are dependent on staff Others who may be mobility impaired or disabled People who are not able to leave the premises quickly

28 Step 3 Evaluate the risks and take action Evaluate the risks of a fire starting Evaluate the risk to people from a fire starting somewhere in the building Remove or reduce the hazards that may cause a fire Remove or reduce risks to people from a fire Installation testing and maintenance

29 Step 4 Record, plan, instruct, inform and train Record significant findings and action Prepare an emergency plan Inform, instruct, cooperate and coordinate Fire safety training Step 1 Significant findings of fire hazards Step 2 People who are at risk from the hazards Step 3 Remove or reduce the risk and control measures to protect against any residual risks Step 4 Further action needed Train, inform, instruct and coordinate Deep fat fryer in staff change kitchen Patients and staff Safety lid fitted, and fire blanket provided Staff not allowed to use fat fryer until safety training given. High levels of smoking in bedrooms. Patients and staff Automatic water fire suppression system installed in bedrooms. System maintained and tested.

30 Step 5 Review Changes in work processes (including equipment) Alterations to the building (including internal layout) Substantial changes to furniture and fixings Change to storage of hazardous substances Failure of the fire precautions eg AFD, a fire door Significant changes to stock quantities The presence of people with different or specific disability (including change of ward type)

31 Part 2 Further information on fire risk assessment and fire precautions Literature review of source and reference documents: Guides will make reference to other publications Part 2 is 80 pages Relevant guidance which will become defunct with the introduction of the RRO will be reviewed with salient and relevant points incorporated: Home Office guides HTM 86

32 Part 2 Further guidance on Sections: 1 Fire risks and prevention measures 2 Fire detection and warning systems 3 Fire-fighting equipment and facilities 4 Escape routes 5 Escape route lighting 6 Signs and notices 7 Recording, planning, informing and training Appendices A Review checklist B Fire resisting separation, fire doors and door fastenings C Historic buildings D Glossary E Nucleus fire precautions References

33 Examples Further guidance 1.13 Restricting the spread of fire and smoke: To reduce the risk to people if there is a fire, you need to consider how to control or restrict the spread of fire and smoke Textiles and furniture Information on textiles and furniture is available in FIRECODE HTM Operational Requirements, Section 3 Textiles and furnishings. The use of flame-retardant bedding, upholstered furniture and soft furnishings will substantially reduce the fire risk HTM 86 Fire risk assessment in hospitals: Acceptable (SHTM 85 Standard) The hazard is acceptable, if more than 75 % of all items of textiles and furniture achieve the standard required in HTM 87, and there is an agreed policy of planned replacement and maintenance to comply with HTM 87 Textiles and furniture..

34 Examples Further guidance 1.16 Arson: Outside well lit/secure perimeter fence, if practical Secure entry points, as appropriate Regularly remove combustible waste No skips adjacent to the building Encourage staff to challenge people acting suspiciously Remove automatic entry rights to previous staff Ensure that security and fire alarm are monitored/actioned Secure flammable liquids against use by intruders Fit secure metal letter boxes etc

35 Examples Further guidance 1.17 People especially at risk: Those at high risk include patients who have low mobility, alertness or responsiveness, eg: Those who cannot walk, either with or without assistance; Those with learning difficulties; Those who suffer from mental illness. Those at even higher risk include patients whose clinical treatment and/or condition creates a high dependency on clinical staff, eg: Intensive therapy units; Special care baby units; Operating departments.

36 Examples Further guidance 4 Further guidance on escape routes: High risk features: Patient dependency Height above ground Adjacent to high fire load departments Poor overall management of the premises Low numbers of trained staff on duty Large protected areas Poor fire resisting separation Escape routes are long and poorly defined Smoking is not controlled etc Medium and low risk features also listed.

37 Example - Further guidance 4.2 Typical building examples: Ground to second floor premises with high risk patients: High level of observation or; High standard of detection and alarm system or; High number of staff on duty or; An automatic suppression system or; A combination of: Short travel distances and; A high degree of refuge and; Escape lighting throughout the ward and; Escape bed-lifts etc

38 Summary Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) on the statute books (2005) 11 New guidance documents to be published soon Healthcare guide: Extensive More fundamental approach, particularly to fire hazards Fire precautions consistent with HTM 86 standards Expected to come into force October 2006 Registers, training, schemes: IFE, ABE, BRE

39 to main extract fan extract ducting supply fan intumescent damper ignition source supply ducting plan view visitor's chairs bedside locker patient chairs smoke detectors bedside locker patient's lockers 2.9m window door bed bed 7.3m side elevation supply fan extract duct intumescent damper ignition source visitor's chairs bed patient's chairs plastic visitor's chairs bed smoke detectors patient's locker supply branch main supply duct window plastic visitor's chairs 5.7m bedside locker bed patient's chairs bed patient's locker 7.3m Figure 1 - Full-scale test rig for hospital ward smoke damper tests

40