Sprinklers to Become Mandatory in New Care Homes from March 2025

Starting on March 2, 2025, a new regulation will require sprinklers to be installed in all new care homes, irrespective of their height. This significant regulatory development comes in the wake of a government consultation exercise in 2022 to revise part B of the building regulations.

As safety regulations in care homes change from time to time, ESGO, a temporary staffing agency for UK care homes, is significant in assisting the industry to cope with these changes.

Background on the Campaign

The call for installing automatic sprinklers was occasioned by a campaign by CIOB fellow Steven Miles and his wife Claire. The couple campaigned for new and better fire safety measures after Claire’s mother died in a fire at a care home in 2017. Their campaign, backed by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), aimed at making sprinklers a mandatory safety measure in care homes in England.

Before this change in the Approved Document B regulations, there was no overall recommendation or requirement for sprinklers in care homes. This led to a large gap in the status of fire protection measures, especially in the facilities where some residents may require assistance in an emergency. The absence of general requirements for sprinkler installation put the care home residents, some of the most endangered groups in society, at a greater risk of experiencing fire-related mishaps.

The lobbying for such change was not only due to a lack of regulation but also because many of these care home residents are less capable of evacuation. Fires are hazardous and the lack of sprinklers causes the fire to rage through the building. This was the reason why Steven and Claire advocated to spare other families from going through the same ordeal.

Critical Changes to the Regulations

The new regulations also entail other changes, which are as follows: Besides the requirement of having sprinklers to be installed, various other changes have been put in place to enhance fire safety. Another of the changes is that new care homes must ensure that compartments accommodate no more than 10 residents. This design feature is supposed to prevent fires from growing big and to contain them within a certain area of the building. Divisions make fighting any fire that might occur easier since it is unlikely to spread to other compartments, giving the residents enough time to escape.

In addition, new care homes will need self-closing devices. These devices are essential in containing fire and smoke, helping the residents in case of an emergency. These mechanisms entail closing doors and preventing fire from spreading to other building sections. Implementing these features is a preventive measure concerning fire hazards on the level of compartments, as well as at the level of evacuations.

Government's Announcement

The update was declared by Building Safety Minister Rushanara Ali on the 2nd of September 2024, stressing the increased fire safety in care home facilities. ”Sprinklers enhance fire protection where residents may be reliant on others for help and assistance, especially if a building evacuation is needed,” she said. Ali also agreed that most care home providers have already included sprinklers in their construction plans.

However, for those who do not, the government has allowed a six-month grace period before the new guidelines start to be implemented. This transition period will enable care homeowners and developers to make necessary adjustments to align with the latest regulations. After the implementation, developers involved in care home construction will have an extra six months to deliver the current development projects. This means ongoing construction can continue while adhering to the set safety standards.

Conclusion

The requirement for new care homes to have sprinkler systems installed is a significant move to improving the quality of life of the residents in the United Kingdom. The new regulations and design changes, such as restricting the size of compartments and fitting self-closing doors, will ensure that the most vulnerable people are protected.

Thus, temporary staffing will remain crucial as care homes prepare for these upcoming changes, and ESGO’s role in it will also be vital. ESGO’s support means that care homes can run their businesses efficiently as they strive to meet these new safety measures, enhancing the sector’s safety and quality of services. This way, by ensuring these changes are in place by March 2025, the government seeks to reduce the potential of future disasters and provide residents and their families with more reassurance while the industry addresses new rules and requirements.