HOSPITAL FIRES

Health & Safety Department

2013

To appreciate why we deliver fire training to staffTo appreciate why we deliver fire training to staff

To gain an understanding of what fire is and it’s To gain an understanding of what fire is and it’s consequencesconsequences

To ensure that staff are fully aware of what To ensure that staff are fully aware of what actions to take in the event of a fire or the fire actions to take in the event of a fire or the fire

alarm actuatingalarm actuating

To understand how to fight a fireTo understand how to fight a fire (if it is safe to do so)(if it is safe to do so)

Training Objectives

Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974Employers Duty of Care, to staff, visitors, and patients

Employee’s Duty of Care, by acts or omissions, to act responsibly, promptly, and not to endanger themselves or others

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) OrderRisk Assessments of the work place

NHS Fire Code 05 - Health Technical Memo’s

Trust Fire Policy - TPP 431It is a Statutory requirement for staff to attend Fire training on an annual basis and Health and Safety updates as new legislation is introduced

or for the updating and revision of Trust policies and procedures

It’s The Law!

If you, with your knowledge, allow contraventions of any Acts or Regulations then you are deemed as the responsible person and as such, if an incident occurs, then you may be held personally liable and subject to heavy personal fines and/or a custodial

sentence

Ignorance is no defence!!

What if we don’t comply?

Watchacre Properties Limited, LondonLandlord imprisoned for 4 months for serious breaches of the RRO

New Look, London - £400,000 (£136,000 costs)Shell International Limited, London - £300,000 (£45,000 costs)

ASDA, Slough – £40,000 (£15,000 costs)

What Is Fire?

Heat

Fuel

AccidentalBy-product of an unintended action

DeliberateArson or diminished responsibilities

NegligencePutting the three sides of the triangle in the same place at the same time without considering the

consequences

How Fires Start

53% of all Hospital Fires are either:

PREDICTABLEor

PREVENTABLE

Hospital fire death ‘accidental’ A verdict of accidental death has been recorded on a woman who was engulfed in flames after lighting a cigarette in a hospital ward. Miss *****, 41, died three days after the incident at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in February. Shropshire Coroner, John Ellery, praised the bravery of two staff who tried to put out the fire, which left Ms ****** with severe burns.

Mr. Ellery said Ms. ****** would have known that it was against hospital rules to smoke but may not haveanticipated the ‘catastrophic consequences’ of lighting a cigarette in a room where there was a high concentration of oxygen.

No Smoking

Alarm Signals

We have two types of alarm signals, what are they?

Full Alarm:

However the alarm was activated it is in your immediate

area

Intermittent Alarm:

However the alarm was activated it is in a neighbouring

area

FIRE• RAISE ALARM • Phone 3333 • Attack Fire/Evacuate

ALARM

Non Patient Area’s - Evacuate

Patient Area’s - Evacuate if there is a confirmed fire or if you are instructed to do so

How to respond

.

Fire Doors

closed

Fire door

Automatic

clear

Compartmentalisation &

Fire Doors• Enables progressive

horizontal/vertical evacuation

• Has weaknesses– Doors– Windows– Cables

ARE THERE ANY FIRE DOORS IN

THIS ROOM

Signage

Mandatory – Blue circle

Fire Information – Red

Safe Condition – Green Rectangle

Prohibition – White circle red bar and edge

Check doors with the back of your hand

SMOKE KILLS

Keep low to breathe

Evacuation of PersonsNeeding Assistance

1 2 3

4 5 6

AlarmAlarm

PanelPanel

ActuatedActuated

AlarmAlarm

ZoneZone

1st PRIORITY

THOSE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER

2ND PRIORITY

FURTHEST TRAVEL DISTANCE(No two fires are the same and priorities may change)

FIRE ~ takes hold in under3 minutes

How quickly does fire spread?

How much time would it take to evacuate a less abled person?

Remember – Fire Safety is Paramount!!

The Role of the Senior Person in the event of a full alarm sounding

If it is safe to do so• Inspect the area – ensure Patients, Visitors and Staff have

evacuated the ward / department• Ascertain what has caused the fire alarm (if possible)• Report findings to Switchboard on 3333 within 2 minutes • On leaving the building checks that all doors and windows are

closed (if it is safe to do so)• Direct all those evacuating the building to the nearest

evacuation location pointNote:• The Fire Service will only attend calls to a confirmed fire

immediately • The Fire Service will respond to fire alarms if a reasonable

period of time has passed (2 minutes) and we have not reported the cause of the alarm to Switchboard as all staff could be involved in evacuations or fire fighting

Fire Or Full Alarm In A Non Patient Area

Get Out!!Do not delay your evacuation to collect personal items Do not use the lifts Close all doors and windows as you exit the building (if it is safe to do so)

Calling the Fire Brigade Operate the nearest Break Glass Call Point (if possible)

From a safe place call 3333 (for any non medical emergency) and state:

“Fire”The location of the fireDetail any danger(s) to people or processesIf assistance is required

Stay OutUntil told by the person in charge that it is safe to re-enter building

Emergency Procedures

Building Evacuation:

•Proceed to your nearest fire exit

•Assemble at least 100 feet from building

•Provide emergency crews with information about people still in the building

•Provide information to emergency crews about the reason

for the evacuation

•Never re-enter a building until instructed to by a Fire Officer

or suitably qualified member of staff

Fire Safety & Fire Extinguisher Use

Water (9 Litre)

• Use on class A fires (wood,

paper, cloth)

• Pressurized water

• Do Not Use On Oils

Fats Or Electrical Fires

Foam (6 Litre)

• AFFF (Foam)• Use on CLASS A + B

(wood, paper, cloth and flammable liquids, oils, paints and greases)

Carbon Dioxide (2Kg)

• Use on class B & E (Flammable liquids, oils, paints & greases and Electrical)

• Hard, plastic nozzle• No pressure gauge• Do Not Hold Nozzle

Dry Powder

Use on classesA, B, C & Electrical (Wood, paper, cloth & Flammable liquids,

oils, paints and greases & Gases & Electrical)

Use with caution if in confined areas

Fire Blanket

Use on kitchen fires – Classes A, B & D

(Wood, paper, cloth & Flammable liquids, oils, paints and greases & Metals)

Do not hold by pull out tags

What Type of Extinguisher it is

What to use it on

What not to use it on

Extinguisher Plates

P.A.S.S. Method

Pull the pin and break the tag:

This will allow you to squeeze the handles

together

in order to discharge

the extinguisher

P.A.S.S. Method

Aim at the base of the fire

Aiming at the middle will do no good as the

agent will pass

through the

flames

P.A.S.S. Method

Squeeze the handles:

This will release the pressurized

extinguishing agent

P.A.S.S. Method

Sweep from side to side

Cover the entire area that is on fire

Continue until fire is extinguished

Check for areas of

re-ignition

Fighting a Fire

• Tell someone of your intentions

• Remember to keep an exit to your back

• Only fight a fire in the incipient stage

Summary

Know your work place ~ What the risks/hazards are

Arson

Smoking

Hazard Rooms

Fire Doors ~ KEEP SHUT

FIRE PROCEDURES – What action you need to take

Escape routes and fire assembly points

Location of Fire Extinguishers and Call points

Any Questions?

Please Contact:

The Health & Safety Department

Extension 3192