Door Industry Journal - Spring 2021

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 110 THE door industry journal spring 2021 Fire Doors, Safety & Security Reviewing Building Safety in Specialised Housing Whether it’s adhering to fire safety or infection control guidelines – a topic that is never far from our thoughts at the moment – there are many options that decision makers can take to ensure maximum safety and compliance in specialised housing settings. Only recently, the pandemic has left facilities such as care homes and their staff under scrutinity over their infection control methods. And now, with a roadmap to recovery and how the ease of restrictions may contribute to the spread of common colds and such, infection control, along with the safety of occupants, is once again rife in the news. So with that in mind, what are the steps that must be taken to ensure occupants in supported housing stay safe and secure? Providing a safe environment for all doesn’t have to be a complex process, although it is important that the process is thorough, with occupants in these settings potentially far more vulnerable to injury or worse in the event of a fire. The same is true for infection control, where robust policies and protocols should be in place to protect those living in supported housing, as well the staff looking after them. Fire Safety The National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) comprehensive guide for specialised homes, published in 2017, includes many proprosals, all designed to protect the estimated three quarters of a million residents situated in specialised housing in the U.K. Further to this, in January 2020, the Scottish Government strengthed its response to fire safety – the Practical fire safety for existing specialised housing and similar premises: guidance – which is aimed at housing and care providers, as well as care regulators and care service commissioners. Both reports detail ways in which specialised homes should work to minimise fire risk to protect both the people living, working and visiting there, and the building itself. Ensuring the safety of residents and staff in specialised housing environments has always been a priority for those in the sector. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK highlights the steps decision makers must make to keep occupants in sheltered, extra care or supported housing safe and secure.