The LWF Blog

Fire Risk Assessment for Healthcare Premises – Managing Fire Safety – Part 102

August 30, 2022 11:09 am

LWF’s blog series for healthcare professionals aims to give information on best practice of fire safety in hospitals and other healthcare premises. In part 101 of Fire Risk Assessments for Healthcare Premises, LWF looked at first-aid fire-fighting equipment such as extinguishers and staff training. In part 102, we will discuss what instances are appropriate for the installation of sprinkler systems in healthcare premises.

The regulations and standards covering healthcare premises do not normally require the installation of automatic fire suppression systems, such as sprinklers. However, depending upon circumstances, they may still be required.

For example:

• To facilitate a delayed evacuation system
• To protect property and equipment
• To ensure business/service continuity where the facility provides specialist services
• In cases where a fire-engineered solution has been created for the building(s)

Commonly, where a sprinkler system is installed in a healthcare building, it is a part of a fire-engineered solution. The building may house high dependency patients, or the design may have necessitated a lack of fire-resisting construction around areas of fire hazard and the sprinkler system can help offset the unacceptable risk this would pose.

In addition, it may be found in areas with poor observation, reduced fire protection to structure or insufficient external envelope protection.

While the installation of a life-safety automatic fire suppression system is not always required, it should be considered for all new build healthcare premises. The potential for fire to have a serious impact on patient care should be investigated. Some premises, for example, regional cancer centres, cannot afford to cease patient care due to a fire or fire damage to the premises. For this reason, it is imperative that all precautions are taken to prevent a disruption to service and sprinkler systems are a valuable active fire protection measure designed to prevent fire growth and damage.

A risk assessment should be undertaken for all new healthcare premises which will highlight the hazards and risks associated with a potential fire. This process should help highlight particular areas of concern and potential solutions including fire suppression systems where such measures are required.

In Part 103 of LWF’s blog series, LWF will begin to look at escape routes and strategies in healthcare premises, including safe evacuation from the premises without the aid of the Fire and Rescue Service. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this blog, or wish to discuss your own project with one of our fire engineers, please contact us.

Lawrence Webster Forrest has been working with their clients for over 25 years to produce innovative and exciting building projects. If you would like further information on how LWF and fire strategies could assist you, please contact LWF on freephone 0800 410 1130.

While care has been taken to ensure that information contained in LWF’s publications is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of this information.