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error or electrical faults at source, with appliance registration not currently asked for by FRA assessors, but this ‘might be factored in’ to a PAS 79 update. Showing images of such fires, Mr Callow


highlighted that 21 people died in 2016/17 in sheltered accommodation, 17 victims showing prior ‘clear evidence’ of unsafe smoking, while 13 were ‘in receipt of care or were known to agencies’ who perhaps ‘should have seen’ the risks. Four cases saw the victim’s partner identify the risk and fire safety visits conducted, with two refusing all help and equipment. Common failings included no recognition of


The NFCC has been ‘trying to better understand what drives the sector’, with safe and well visits offering a ‘targeted approach’ and signifying an evolution to the person at the centre of asset based risk assessments. Reflecting on positives and negatives, he cited ‘joined up risk stratification’, with analysts in the fire and health services targeting approaches. Key performance statistics include fires since 2010, which are ‘starting to grow slightly’, while firefighter numbers grew from 2002 to 2010, but have seen a ‘steep reduction’. This means that the ‘greater targeting on the vulnerable’ has been affected by the ‘lack of capacity’. With local collaboration seeing 41 of 46 FRSs implementing safe and well, the NFCC hopes to ‘strengthen’ this with care homes in the future.


Risks and mitigations


London Fire Brigade’s (LFB’s) Chris Callow explored the ‘nature of risk’ for vulnerable residents. Fires in hospices, homes and sheltered housing across supported living, residential and retirement locations went down, then slightly up, between 2013 and 2017, according to LFB data. Self contained sheltered homes saw the largest


number of fires due to ‘less managerial control and attention’. In London, there were eight fires a week, with 1,500 fires over the same period nationally or around 30 per week. Causes in 2016/2017, specifically rooms of origin, saw kitchens as the largest source, with others (including garages) second, before bedrooms, living rooms and corridors. In terms of injuries and deaths, bedrooms were


first followed by living rooms, with smoking ‘one of the biggest causes’, and others included portable heaters, open fires, cooking, electrical faults, candles, naked flames and hoarding. Most fires were human


54 JULY/AUGUST 2018 www.frmjournal.com


hazards from resident habits, treatments or lifestyles, with appropriate control measures needing to be undertaken. Risk assessments should include looking for floor, cushion or clothing burn marks, while some medical equipment can increase fire speed or intensity. Emollient creams, oxygen and airflow mattresses have also been factored into recent fires. LFB has a ‘fresh approach’, with FRAs focusing on the person and the property, specifically taking into account personal evacuation plans (PEEPs). Nothing can be done without a personal assessment, and LFB believes a person centred approach should analyse increased risk of a fire, and the residents’ ability to respond appropriately to signs of fire, and to escape. Its ‘key focus’ includes management and maintenance arrangements, fire alarm and emergency plans, compartmentation and separation, staff numbers and the ability to evacuate a compartment correctly.


Staffing and evacuation


FPA head of training John Briggs cited three key documents where training is mentioned: an FRA, government guidance and the FSO. The FSO’s Article 21 mentions ‘adequate safety training’ when staff are employed and in new circumstances, and ‘suitable and sufficient’ training ‘repeated periodically’ in a ‘manner appropriate to risks identified’. Training must be undertaken in ‘working


hours’, government guidance adding it should ‘take account of the findings of the FRA’, explain emergency procedures and explain duties and responsibilities. It also says training should be easily understood by those present, and tested by fire drills. Fire wardens should get FRA details and additional training, consider staffing ratios and ensure evacuation plans have annual drills to ‘evaluate effectiveness’, or ‘as determined’ by the FRA. Should there be a high staff turnover, drills and training should be undertaken more often, topics including fire statistics, fire science, legislation, hazard spotting, action in the event of fire, and extinguishers. Each would require a test, with action in the event


of fire the ‘most important in the workplace’ because others can take place elsewhere. Evacuation types are also location specific, while agency workers


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