We recently spoke to one of our trusted partners, Towergate Insurance, a Hertfordshire based national care insurance specialist, for some advice on how Care Homes can protect themselves and their residents from the devastating effects of fire. Read on for some simple tips on how to fire-proof your care home’s laundry room.
In 2014, there were over 200 fire related fatalities and 7,500 casualties in England. 41% of these fatalities were suffered by those 65 years old and over. Towergate’s claims data for 2014 and 2015 shows that laundry rooms are a key cause of fire-related incidents. Containing both heat-emitting electrical machinery and fuel for fire, in the form of linens, laundry rooms are the ideal environment for an accidental fire.
Kirsty Wainwright-Noble from Towergate’s Care Division, said:
“Our claims data shows that 20% of fire claims for care homes over 2014 and 2015 originated from a laundry room and in 2015, laundry room fires caused £260,000 worth of damage. Many laundry room fires could be avoided through basic maintenance of machinery and ensuring that staff are well versed in fire precautions.”
As specialist insurance brokers to the care industry, Towergate have put together the following fire safety tips specifically for laundry rooms in care homes.
Fire Safety Tips for Laundry Rooms
Do
- Clean filters, remove fluff, lint and debris from dryers and keep them regularly maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines
- Allow laundry to complete the cooling cycle in the tumble dryer
- Dry tea towels on a washing line if possible, rather than in a tumble dryer
- Shake out laundry to ventilate and allow laundered items to cool
- Provide employee training to highlight laundry-related fire risks
- Provide fire protection equipment within the laundry area
Don’t
- Leave laundry in a dryer overnight
- Place warm, damp laundry in polythene bags, combustible containers or baskets or in poorly ventilated areas
- Remove laundry from your tumble dryer before completing the cooling cycle
For more information about Towergate Insurance and how they can support you, please visit www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/care-home-insurance.
Fire Compliance Workshops for Owners and Managers
FREE to attend!
There are 3 Fire Safety workshops currently planned for Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead. Each half day session is tailored to Residential or Support at Home Care, and Herts Adult Care Services (ACS) are urging all care providers to send a suitable representative to one of the events to assure your Fire Compliance. To learn more, and to book your FREE place, visit the event page on our website.