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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: Paul2886 on November 13, 2014, 05:49:08 PM
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Hi, Can I have your thoughts please.
I have visited a care home which has a second floor purely used for 6 rooms where each is used by staff a member as living accommodation. They share a kitchen in a dead-end corridor and currently use the landing as a 'lounge'. It is accessed by a single staircase with a designated fire exit on the first floor at the base of the staircase. My question is where does this all fit in regarding the RA for the home and to whether the LA should have an interest in this sort of HMO arrangement. Sure you may need to some info to give an accurate opinion...cheers
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Do the staff live there all the time or as a fill in between shifts?
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Hi Kurnal, No its their permanent living accommodation
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Hi Paul
From the details you have provided, I would treat the staff accomodation as a HMO. The Fire Safety order will apply to the common areas including the communal lounge and kitchen with the bedrooms separated by a minimum of 30 minutes fire protection. With regard to the remainder of the premises being used as a care home; the premises should have a L1 fire alarm system. The risk assessment should cover the care home, the communal areas of the staff accomodation and ensure the fire resisting construction between the staff accomodation is adequate with detection provided within the staff bedrooms.
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I would hope that the staircase discharges into a protected area at first floor level. What are travel distances like?
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Hi again,
The single staircase from the staff living area discharges onto an external fire escape at first floor level. At the foot of the stairs there is a small protected lobby which gives access, via a push bar, to a final exit door. It also has one residents room off of the same lobby. The travel distance from the furthest point to the head of the stairs, accessed by a fire door, is about 14 metres and to the final exit, mentioned above, probably about 20 metres.
It may sound a bit sketchy at present as have not done an in-depth assessment as yet. Spoke to the local council today who implied they may have an interest in the staff quarters as it seems to be an HMO.