A report by the London Fire Brigade has found that 57% of 177 inspected care homes have failed one-off fire safety evaluations. These inspections took 4 contributing factors into account:
- Fire risk assessments
- Emergency plans and staffing levels
- Training for staff
- Fire doors, protected corridors and staircases
The organisation has published its full report online and appealed to all those in the healthcare housing sector to take note in the interest of safety.
It announced that “fire safety protection and other management arrangements [must be used to] reduce the risks and ensure the safety of residents and staff in case of fire.”
Fire Safety is Crucial
The potential consequences of failing to ensure adequate fire safety are clear. The report highlighted a blaze at a scheme in Hertfordshire which tragically killed 2 people in April 2017.
This unfortunate incident may well have resulted in more deaths had local fire fighters not evacuated more than 30 other individuals from the facility.
It is evident that appropriate planning must be in place at every care facility to help prevent future deaths in residential home fires.
Choosing Furniture & Furnishings
The choice of soft furnishings and upholstery fabrics is often cited as a key factor in a residential building’s fire safety evaluation.
HM Government’s official Fire Safety Risk Assessment for Sleeping Accommodation states that “the use of flame-retardant materials will substantially reduce the fire risk.”
Fire-retardant Fabrics & Soft Furnishings by Barons
All fabrics used to manufacture our care home furniture and soft furnishings are either inherently flame retardant or are treated to meet the British standards (BS5867 Part 2 Type B). This means that under test conditions, they neither catch alight too swiftly nor shed any flaming debris.
Barons’ care home furniture and soft furnishings are manufactured using only fire-retardant materials. When you choose to furnish your interiors with Barons, you can rest assured that all our products adhere to current fire safety regulations.
Why not include Barons’ contract furniture and furnishings as part of your facility’s overall fire safety precautions? Together, we can ensure your interiors are not only wonderfully comfortable but also as safe as possible for residents and staff alike.
Browse our fire-retardant furniture and furnishings on the Barons website today.
