Procedure

General:

Some basic safety considerations and observations by the care worker could help prevent a fire and ensure the safety of staff and vulnerable customers. For example:

• Staff should be aware of escape routes and check whether these are not blocked and/or presenting a potential hazard.

• If there is a fire extinguisher available in a customer’s home, staff should be aware of where this is located.

• Where there are smoke alarms in the customer’s home, the plan of care should include the agreed arrangements and whose responsibility it is to make periodic checks to establish if they are working and/or change the batteries.

• Heaters and other appliances should be used as safely as possible for example not placed in dangerous places including near furnishings and bedclothes in the case of a fire.

• Any fire safety concerns or potential risks that may be identified by workers or other staff during the course of their work (other than immediate emergencies where a fire has broken out) should be recorded and reported to the care manager or most senior person on duty who will advise regarding the course of action.

IN EVENT OF A FIRE:

Staff must not at any time place themselves at risk at any time in the event of discovering a fire at a customer’s home or in the event that a fire breaks out at a customer’s home.

If a member of staff should discover or be otherwise aware of a fire they should:

1. Ensure their own safety at all times and not place themselves at risk under any circumstances.

2. The emergency services must be called immediately and the member of staff should get out, stay out and wait for help to arrive.

3. If you have been trained and feel it is safe to do so, attempt to fight the fire if it is a minor blaze using equipment to hand.

4. The worker should try to establish how many people are in the building and where they are. If people can be evacuated safely and at little risk to themselves or to the care worker then they should be removed from the building.

5. If the situation does not allow the action in (4) the care worker should make the building as safe as is possible by closing doors and windows and awaiting the arrival of the emergency services from a safe distance.

6. When possible and practicable, the worker should advise the office or the on-call service without further delay.

7. The worker should play their part in the ‘role call’ when fire services arrive to confirm their safety and provide information to the emergency services.

8. The manager shall deal with the report and future actions in line with the company’s other reporting policies and procedures.

Policy

The safety and well being of all customers are vital responsibilities and The Care Worker Agency & We Care will endeavour to operate in a manner which promotes each of these areas. Providing care at home to vulnerable people means that care workers need to be particularly vigilant and mindful regarding potential fire risks and hazards in order to ensure the welfare of both the customer and themselves.

Care workers play an important role in fire prevention as they may be one of the few visitors to a customer’s home. Staff should be vigilant at all times and be aware of the potential risk of fire. The area of fire safety must also form part of the initial assessment and risk management process when agreeing a customers’ plan of care. All potential fire safety risks or hazards must be removed or minimised prior to the commencement of care and staff or customers must not be placed at unnecessary risk.

When a fire breaks out (or has already broken out) in a customer’s house the care worker shall do everything possible to avoid damage, injury or death PROVIDING that the care worker does not put themselves in undue danger or at significant risk whilst doing so.

Related policies:

Emergency Aid

Health and Safety

Incident and Accident reporting

Reviewed April 2025 by Fay Townsend-Jackson