As part of the Fire Risk Assessments carried out by DB Fire Safety, it’s important to identify the people in the Residential Care Home who may be at risk.
First of all, DB Fire Safety will identify where the residents’ rooms are situated, where the residents spend their days and where they eat their meals. It’s also important to find out where the staff spend their time working within the Residential Care Home. Last, but by no means least, where visitors and contractors are likely to be located within the building in the event of a fire.
Particular risk assessment attention is taken of:
- Employees who work alone in, say an office, or contractors who may be working in the roof space, etc.
- Employees, for instance, care workers, cleaners, maintenance and security staff, all of which could be working during the night.
- Particular attention is required regarding temporary or agency staff who might have no experience or understanding of the Residential Care Home’s layout or procedures.
- Attention also needs to be taken into account of people visiting the Residential Care Home, for instance, relatives, doctors, hairdressers, chiropodists and entertainers.
- But the most of all at risk are the residents. These people may be unable to escape unaided and will not be able to vacate the premises quickly.
- Something else that requires consideration is people who may well panic. It may be advisable to put a plan in place for individual fire risk safety requirements for these individuals (PEEPS) for example, the resident’s medical conditions, sensory awareness and mobility.
It’s important to carry out a fire risk assessment in a systematic way and allocate enough time to carry out the assessment properly.
Peterborough-based DB Fire Safety will visit your Residential Care Home and take the whole of the building into account including the outdoors.
