The Association of British Insurers has called for the government to make sprinklers mandatory in buildings such as care homes and schools…
The director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called for the government to take action to improve fire safety in buildings with at risk individuals. This includes schools and care homes.
James Dalton made the call during the Worshipful Company of Firefighters Fire Lecture in London, stating that he feared the only way the law would be changed would be after a tragedy.
Speaking about care homes, he said: “It is scandalous that there is no regulatory requirement for the use of sprinklers in newly-built buildings that house the most vulnerable in our society – those in care homes and schools.
“The building regulations and British Standards offer guidance and encourage the use of fire-protection measures – but that is simply not good enough.
“In Scotland and Wales, the occupants of new and refurbished care homes must be protected by fire suppression systems – why not in England as well?”
He added that “responsible care home owners install sprinklers on a voluntary basis to protect their residents” and said people should consider fire safety measures when choosing accommodation for vulnerable loved ones.
Sprinklers can play a key role in reducing fire risk. Dalton pointed to two examples: one was a kitchen fire that was extinguished by sprinklers before the fire service arrived, the other was caused by a lit cigarette but was also under control by the time the fire department got on scene.
Dalton said: “The sad reality in the case of both care homes and schools is that it will take a tragic loss of life” before anything is changed. He added, “But the real tragedy is that this loss of life is as inevitable as it is predictable.”
Building regulations laid down in Approved Document B recommend sprinklers are installed in warehouses larger than 20,000 sq m. However, it is just a recommendation. Dalton said the document needs to be reviewed, “especially in light of demands of modern building owners.”
There is certainly demand for a review, with nine in 10 members of the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) also stating in a survey last year the document should be analysed.