Fire retardant areas in prison

[Guest VictorM]

I would like to know if the fire regulations from 1988 are acceptable in high fire retardant areas i.e. prisons

[Tom Sutton]

Prisons are subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the guidance document is "Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Healthcare premises ". Prisons were previously included in “Other sleeping accommodation” but are now included in the “Hospitals” category as the fire frequency in prisons is more similar to that of hospitals. The figures for these two categories have therefore changed. Youth Offending Institutes and Immigration Detention Centres should also be included in this category.

Check out page 54 of the guide, Textiles and furniture, the first line states “The use of flame-retardant bedding and furnishings will substantially reduce the fire risk”. The Responsible officer in the Prison Service has used this guidance in there fire risk assessment. They cannot use the domestic standard because a prison is a none-domestic premise so they have used the contract flammability guide.

The Prison fire retardant bedding is designed to meet the challenges of a prison environment where cell bedding needs to be fire resistant, vandal resistant and durable. The Prison fire retardant bedding range extends to mattresses, pillows, fire resistant blankets, high security blankets and other essential cell bedding.

The mattress should be fire resistant and is tested to BS 7175 1989 - source 7 standard.

Cotton duvet should be flame resistant to BS7175 1989 Source 7 standard.

[Guest ChrisKit]

Please could you sign post me to the relevant information about items in public areas of a care home type environment. What we can and are allowed do to make them fire retardant, so that they can still remain in the communal areas etc. What can or can't be on display in a communal area of a care home.

[Tom Sutton]

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, requires, amongst other things, that the chance of a fire starting is removed or reduced to a minimum and that routes to emergency exits from premises and the exits themselves are kept clear at all times. This means you should limit the amount of combustibles in escape routes which include habitable rooms because people have to escape from them and the combustibles should be fire resistant.

It will depend on the item if they can be made sufficiently fire resistance to be acceptable and there is no lists of what is acceptable in communal areas it is a matter of fire risk assessment.

I am afraid I cannot give a black and white answer, that’s why they call us the men in grey, as we only give grey answers but check out residential care premises page 55 which is the relevant guide.

Check out Contract Flammability Guide.