Andy Robinson, director at Pick Everard, examines the ways in which decontamination pathways can be prioritised in design to ensure a safe environment for those in the fire service
UK fire crews play a vital role in saving lives – so the design of their station facilities has to work hard to minimise any further risks. With the nature of the job and training meaning smoke exposure, facilities need more than just showers for clean-up operations. But what are the solutions available for decontamination pathways, and does there need to be a fundamental change in how such stations are designed?
Fire crews are at the front line of lifesaving in emergency services across the UK, requiring a dynamic, responsive and most importantly safe environment to carry out their daily operations.
However, the occupational health risks of being a firefighter are significant, and it doesn’t stop when the fire has been put out. Coming into contact with hazardous contaminants is a day-to-day occurrence for fire crews, making decontamination after a call out a hugely important part of the job.
Applying the principles of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s No Time To Lose campaign, small solutions can make a big difference when it comes to occupational health risks. With fire crew facilities, this means an increased focus on how the spaces are used.
Use zoning to limit exposure to contaminents
One way to do this effectively is by introducing a zoning approach in design that manages how people physically flow through a decontamination process when re-entering a station post-call out.
This can hold the key to quick and efficient decontamination of both people and equipment, thereby lowering the onward decontamination risks for fire crews and fellow station users on the return from any call out or training exercise.
The particles that get left on clothing during a training exercise or call out can be transferred into the air and onto skin if not removed and cleaned properly, so an area is created between the rest of the building to make a separation for decontamination.
This zoning approach is being slowly integrated into fire stations and training facilities that we are working on at Pick Everard. The principles are common across the country, but each service is taking a different approach. Some are trying to keep all contaminants outside of buildings and deal with decontamination within the yard areas, enabling inside spaces to be clean.
Others are looking for best practice, so that functions are graded depending on the operation cycle, using red, amber, green (RAG) coding to clarify the sensitivity.
Decontamination pathways must balance efficiency and equality
Regardless of approach, the most important thing is that those using the facility go from ‘dirty’ to ‘clean’ as quickly as possible. What stations are trying to offer is the option to clean off at work, and while some will still choose to come home to shower, the risks of transferring potentially carcinogenic particles elsewhere during transit means that measures need to be put in place to ensure proper decontamination.
This principle applies within the station as well, which is where the RAG system really comes into its own. Once you’re through decontamination and into the clean zone, you can’t go backwards, and those different zones have different ventilation systems to avoid cross contamination, with more powerful ventilation for extraction in the red zones.
The layout of existing fire stations all vary, and each service operates in slightly different ways. Some buildings are too constrained to address this issue but there are other limitations to equality and diversity that also contribute to the consideration for rebuilding.
Pick Everard is working with real fire services to test these solutions
As every site differs, feasibility studies are incredibly important, as these can explore opportunities for phased intervention to limit impact on operations – something which Pick Everard are currently undertaking with several services around the country to assess viability within their estates. Whilst the strategy may be similar, the way this is deployed at each site will be modified to suit constraints and development options.
When undertaking upgrades like this, it is important to consider other improvements that could be integrated. Many existing buildings were built for single gender operation, which suffer equality and diversity intentions, leading to compromises which can often be overcome with a simple solution for single gender welfare and sleeping facilities.
Updated decontamination pathways are key to greater safety and sustainability in fire services buildings
The tertiary benefits of these investments to the facilities within stations is that it opens up the prospect of wider improvements to the building fabric. With the net zero and decarbonisation agendas forming a key tenet of policy both nationally and internationally, the performance of all buildings is in sharp focus, so fire services are naturally looking for all improvements that are being made to feed into that approach.
Changes that can enhance the longevity of the estate while also enhancing thermal performance and move towards decarbonisation – such as the replacement of gas boilers and the use of renewable energy such as solar PV – are all contributing not just to the move towards net zero, but also a reduction in running costs.
Combine that with the enhanced safety for team members brought about by the decontamination pathways, and you have a win-win situation for both the fire service and the firefighters.
Andy Robinson
Pick Everard
