Care Homes & Care Providers

Care Home Fire Sprinklers

Ultrasafe Fire Suppression have extensive experience designing and fitting Care Home Fire Sprinklers. Whether your project is a new build, a conversion or a refurbishment our experts understand the regulations and the design trade-offs. Since 2002 Ultrasafe have installed fire sprinkler systems in a variety of care facilities and nursing homes including 16 care homes as part of Kent PFI and more recently, the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Fire Sprinklers in Care Facilities Protect Vulnerable Occupants

There is a common belief that fire does not discriminate. To a certain extent this is true, but it is often the case that specific groups within society are more prone to having a fire than others. Extra Care facilities are becoming more popular and offer independence to vulnerable residents including:

• Deaf and partially sighted communities,
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s sufferers,
• Individuals with autism, asperger’s and down’s syndrome,
• Mentally challenged and drug dependent individuals.

Residences are not only prone to having fires but may struggle with poor physical mobility hampering their ability to extinguish the fire, raise the alarm or escape.

For free advice and a no obligation quotation;

Contact us

Call 01625 467245

Or read on to find out more about the benefits of fitting fire sprinklers in care facilities and nursing homes.

Ultrasafe has had three fire sprinkler stops since 2009 and in all cases the fire sprinkler system was fitted into the properties which covered the above groups. Click here to read about our sprinkler stops

The importance of a care home fire sprinkler system is that it will control and in most cases extinguish a fire before the fire and rescue services arrive. Fire sprinklers prevent flash over from occurring creating more tenable conditions, allowing occupants to escape safely. It is not just a life safety system, a fire sprinkler system can go a long way to ensure independent living of the occupants it is protecting.

Benefits of a Care Home Fire Sprinkler

If you work in the care sector an installed fire sprinkler system can bring you considerable benefits, especially in relation to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

• Integrating a sprinkler system into your fire strategy could reduce the quantity of portable fire-fighting equipment you need.
• A full fire sprinkler system could allow you to reduce your staff costs, especially in the evening.
• Having a full fire sprinkler system could help your marketing and sales, especially if you are trying to promote complete and total care for your residents.

Care Home Fire Sprinklers are often Mandatory

In Scotland it is has been compulsory to fit fire sprinkler systems in all care and nursing homes since 2005. This requirement will also become mandatory in Wales from January 2016 when all new domestic and residential buildings will be required to have a fitted fire sprinkler system.

Design Trade-offs Permitted in Care Homes fitted with Fire Sprinklers

Having a Fire Sprinkler system designed into a care facilities enables a client to enjoy the following permissible design trade-offs:

• Residential care homes can increase the quantity of beds as well as negate the need for self-closing doors if a fire sprinkler system is fitted (Approved Document B, 3.52).

When designing a care home to BS 9999:2008 it is possible to reduce the risk profile of the building when fire sprinklers are incorporated. By doing this significant cost savings as well as design freedoms can be made including:

• Longer travel distances – the 45m rule can be extended.
• Larger compartments – larger open spaces.
• Smaller exits and stairs.
• Relaxed fire resistance between compartments.
• Relaxation in heat detectors.

Click here to download a fact sheet summarising the key sprinkler clauses documented with BS 9999

If you are interested to find out more about how Ultrasafe Fire Suppression can help you please do not hesitate to call us on 01625 467245 or email us. Our experts will be happy to answer your questions.

Video Reconstruction of a Care Home Fire With and Without a Fire Sprinkler

This video was produced by Fire and Rescue NSW and shows a reconstruction of the Quakers Hill Nursing Home fire. It demonstrates the impact that a single sprinkler would have made had one been installed.

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