From @fireco 2nd August 2011

Court makes important care home fire safety ruling

This judgement was made in England but any Fire Risk Assessment in Scotland for a Care Home would surely agree with the findings.

Italics and bold mine.

A recent and very important judicial ruling has changed the interpretation of care home fire rules in relation to bedroom fire doors. Although this latest determination was with regard to homes having self closing fire doors the judge quite rightly ruled that although the doors should be self closing, the doors are likely to become wedged therefore they also requires hold open devices. Put simply, this means that if fire doors are to be held open, this has to done using a hold open device that is linked (acoustically or hardwired) to the building’s fire detection system and will automatically allow the door to close should there be a fire emergency.

Our Commercial Director Tom Welland says that it’s vital all owners and operators of care homes are aware of this important ruling as it underlines the dangers of wedging open fire doors and in particular those of resident’s rooms. Quite clearly enforcement officers will take a very dim view of any care home that continues with this dangerous practice. Using staff to ensure doors are closed in an emergency situation is not something that can be relied upon so automatic devices must be used.

This ruling follows the recently published fatal accident inquiry report into the fire at Rosepark care home in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, that claimed the lives of 14 residents, which included an important conclusion that, “A competent risk assessor experienced in fire safety, addressing the position at Rosepark, would have recommended the installation of self-closers (swing free, Dorgard or other similar devices) on bedroom doors as a matter of urgency…”