Residential Care Guide

[PhilB]

I have just seen the draft guide for Res Care and its got some scarey bits!!!! Accomodation stairs are apparently ok, they are quite rightly not mentioned in HTM84 or even in the Green Guide for a very good reason. Lilac guide recommended enclosing accomodation stairs at upper levels, again for good reason.

The staircase configurations appear to be taken from the blue guide. So we can have a single stair buiding of three floors with doors opening from bedrooms and hazard rooms directly into staircase. Multi stair building need lobbies, please explain that one to me somebody!!

Travel distance is based on time, evac time is taken as 2.5 mins which is 150 seconds. In an attempt to show they know about fire safety, they say start up time is 2/3rds so time available is 50 seconds. They clearly dont know the origins of the 2/3rd start up time.

No doubt someone will come back and tell me they have consulted widely on this guide. Who the hell with I wonder. Still why am I worrying we dont lose many people in fires in res care homes do we??!!!!!!

Well done everybody, the future is very scarey!

[ben]

Hi can you tell me where you can view this document?
Is it part of the BRE guides for RRO? (Healthcare)
Thanks

[james fleming]

Info' on where to link in with this would be good.

James

[PhilB]

sorry cant help, I obtained a copy this week from a colleague, presumably this document is out for consultation but where I know not!

[colin todd]

To stakeholders. Its just a certain training establishment just LOVE leaked copies of things.

[PhilB]

Once again you are wrong Mr Todd! Maybe rather than making false accusations it may be more useful to comment on content of draft guidance.

[Slim Jim]

I too have seen this document, and like Phil, I'm scared too!  This is yet another example of political vandalism perpetrated by people who think they know better.  The anomalies in this draft guide are frightening.  It is year zero for the Fire Service.  History is being rewritten.  Many of the accepted benchmark standards are being gradually dumbed down; by people who are pursuing an agenda based on political dogma - their attack on the Fire Service is actually an attack on everyone.  If these standards are accepted, then I would suggest that there is the potential for MORE deaths, injuries & losses   by fire, not less.  It's gambling with people's lives.  Also - who has been consulted about these guides?  Who are the 'stakeholders' who have been consulted?  It doesn't matter really - even if the consultation process was wide enough - do you think that they would listen?  Answers on a postcard please!

[colin todd]

Phillip, Only stakeholders are able to comment.

[PhilB]

Colin, I appreciate that you like to have the last word in these forums, but perhaps those last words could be used to add something worthwile to the debate. Have you seen the proposed guidance and if you have what do you think?

[colin todd]

I think its the same as all the guides. Its trying to do several jobs at once and it cant be done.

[Lee999]

I attended a multi fatal fire is a residential home last year.(arson, by employee)

In my experience, procedure needs to be looked at ASAP.

[colin todd]

Its always down to procedures. We worry about the physical fire precautions to a disproportionate extent

[PhilB]

Yea tell that one to the relatives of the Rose Park disaster!

[colin todd]

No  need , Phillip, no need.  A Scottish Sheriff (so much brighter than English magistrates dont you know) will, I bet,  tell these poor people exactly what I have just told you. Then you can repeat it at your wee College. But you read it here first.

[martyn brandrick]

Be very careful Colin talking about this. We as professionals have a duty on here not to discuss issues before legalities take place.  Knowing what i know about this incident please wait till the fatal accident or the judicial hearing.