Home Safety Policy Statements : Fire and Heat
Smoke Alarms
RoSPA supports the installation of smoke alarms in every home and prefers the use of hard-wired detectors. Currently only new dwellings have to be fitted with hard-wired detectors under the Building Regulations.1
RoSPA would like there to be a requirement for hard-wired alarms to be fitted at the time of refurbishment or rewiring in older properties.
If battery operated smoke alarms are to be used, RoSPA recommends sealed units containing long life batteries, which avoid the necessity of changing batteries regularly. Sealed units also prevent the use of the standard battery in other equipment.
Cigarette Lighters
RoSPA welcomes the European Standard for cigarette lighters BS EN 13869 that incorporates the need for the lighter to be child resistant and labelled as such.
RoSPA would like to see a phasing out of disposable lighters that do not incorporate a child resistant mechanism.
RoSPA would like to see the requirement for cigarette lighters to be child resistant mandatory.
Flammability of Clothing
RoSPA considers that the Nightwear Safety Regulations are outdated and should be revised to include all nightwear.
RoSPA would like to see a warning in nightwear, which is not flame resistant.
Surface Temperatures
RoSPA considers that surface temperatures on domestic products permitted by British and European Standards are too high.
RoSPA urges the Department of Trade and Industry, the British Standards Institution and the European Standards Bodies CEN2 and CENELEC3 to address the issue of excessively high surface temperatures on all domestic appliances and to base the limits on the harmonized European standard EN 5634
Chip Pans
RoSPA recommends that the safest way to deep fry chips is in a thermostatically controlled freestanding electric deep fat fryer. An alternative method of cooking chips is in the oven.
NB Chip pan fires cause more injuries than any other domestic fires. In 2001 there were 9471 chip pan fires in which 3364 people were injured and 33 people were killed (Fire Statistics Estimate 2001 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2001)
Residential Sprinklers
RoSPA welcomes the current interest in residential sprinklers and recognises the fact that they could make a contribution towards the reduction of deaths in domestic fires.
RoSPA supports the development of recognised standards for residential sprinklers.
RoSPA supports the installation of residential sprinklers in the homes of the most vulnerable people i.e. Houses of Multiple Occupation and residential accommodation for physically and mentally handicapped people.
RoSPA encourages builders to offer house purchasers the option of having a domestic sprinkler installed.
RoSPA supports continued research into the effectiveness of sprinklers.
Candles
RoSPA welcomes the introduction of user instructions on all candles.
RoSPA recommends that lighted candles are never left unattended and that they are never positioned in a draught, anywhere near curtains or near any materials, which could ignite.
RoSPA recommends that candles are always used in proper holders or in secure and suitable containers and that debris is not allowed to accumulate after the candle has finished burning.
Evacuation in the Case of Fire
RoSPA feels that the best advice to give to the public in the event of a house fire is
GET OUT > STAY OUT > CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE OUT
Some very small house fires can be tackled with a damp tea towel. A damp tea towel has been shown to be more effective than a fire blanket as it can smother the fire more effectively.
RoSPA does not recommend the use of domestic fire extinguishers because they can be difficult to use in a panic situation and not all extinguishers are suitable for all types of fires.
NB This advice applies even when Fire fighters are not working normally.
[1] DETR, The Building Regulations 1991, Approved Document B, 2000. ISBN1-8521123-51-2
[2] European Committee for Standardization
[3] European Committee Electro technical Standardization
[4] BS EN 563:1994 Safety of machinery - temperatures of touchable surfaces - Ergonomic data to establish temperature limit values for hot surfaces.
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RoSPA is a registered charity: Registered Charity No: 207823 Patron: Her Majesty the Queen RoSPA Head Office: Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK |
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