Crown Premises Fire Inspection Group

Transcription

1 Crown Premises Fire Inspection Group Date: 20 th October 2016 <REDACTED> HMP Rochester, 1 Fort Road, Rochester, ME1 3QS By to: <REDACTED> Crown Premises Fire Inspection Group Fire and Resilience Directorate 2 nd Floor NW Fry Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF Our Ref: 3724/023/01 Please reply to: Dear Governor <REDACTED>, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005 ( ) Premises: HMP Rochester, Fort Road, Rochester, ME1 3QS The Crown Premises Fire Inspection Group is enforcing authority under Article 25 of above legislation. I am writing to you as a person responsible under above for ensuring that persons are adequately safeguarded in case of fire at above premises. The binds Crown, except for enforcement and prosecution provisions. The absence of formal enforcement powers does not, refore, allow those managing Crown premises to adopt a lower standard of safety than applies to or buildings. Following an inspection at above premises on 12 th & 13 th October 2016, I am of opinion that you have failed to comply with Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005 ( ), and consider that formal action is required to achieve compliance. The un-met requirements of were outlined to you at time, and are set out in attached schedule. If enforcement provisions in applied to you, such is seriousness of deficiencies at premises that you would be served with an Enforcement Notice under Article 30 of. This would require you to take timely steps to comply with, and you would face prosecution if you failed to do so. In event that a long-term solution cannot be implemented immediately, you will need to introduce interim s to reduce level of risk whilst longer-term s are being prepared. Fire safety s are largely interactive, and fire risks can be controlled in many ways. In Inspector s opinion, completion of proposed remedial steps detailed in schedule will achieve a satisfactory minimum standard of fire safety in premises. Alternative ways of achieving an equivalent standard may be available and any request for Inspector to consider alternative proposals should be submitted as a matter of urgency. Successful approaches to assessing and managing risk can be provided by accepted guidance, BS9999: 2008 or fire engineering calculations. Each of se requires involvement of a person with comprehensive training or experience. A copy of this letter has been sent to those identified at foot of this letter who may also be responsible for safety of persons in case of fire.

2 If you do not understand steps you must take, you can contact me using address or telephone number above. This will not have effect of suspending Notice or extending time for you to comply. If you do not feel that you are responsible under or if you believe that contents of schedule are incorrect, and that you do not need to take action in respect of any matter, n you should send your written reasons to Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser at above address within 28 days of date of this letter. It is our policy to place this letter on a public register of notices, in line with requirement placed on enforcing authorities under Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 to act transparently. Yours faithfully Crown Premises Fire Inspection Group Office of Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser CC - <REDACTED> CC - <REDACTED>

3 CROWN ENFORCEMENT NOTICE NO. CPFIG/008/2016 The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005 ( ) Premises: HMP Rochester, Fort Road, Rochester, ME1 3QS Date of Issue: 20 th October 2016 This schedule should be read in conjunction with CFRA letter dated 20 th October 2016 Schedule Means to secure that cells can be evacuated safely 4(1)(c), The smoke control arrangements do not ensure that conditions outside cell door would remain tenable for prison staff to undertake cell fire response plan: Fire resisting subcompartment doors provided to ensure effectiveness of zonal mechanical smoke control systems and to protect escape routes, were not fitted with appropriate selfclosing devices, placing prison staff and prisoners at risk. failure to comply, including an 1. The hold-open fire-resistant subcompartment doors must be fitted with self-closing devices such that doors are released and close fully on operation of fire alarm to ensure effective performance of zonal mechanical smoke control systems and protect means of escape routes. date of Cell fire response instructions 4(1)(f), The cell fire response plan did not sufficiently safeguard prison staff or prisoners because it does not take into account increasing potential for injury from fire and toxic smoke as time elapses, i.e. The cell fire SSoW was not time-based. failure to comply, including an 1. The cell fire SSoW must be timebased. Allowing for predicted time for fire detection, fire-fighting plan must ensure that water-mist inundation has been commenced by six minutes from ignition, allowing for predicted delay before fire is detected. date of

4 Fire training 4(1)(f), 7(6), 8, 13 & An insufficient number of prison staff members working in residential wings during night state are currently in-date with ir training in RPE wearing, using inundation equipment and carrying out cell fire response plan. 2. Prison staff have not undertaken suitable practical training drills to demonstrate ir ability to maintain predicted tenability within cell in event of a fire. failure to comply, including an 1. All prison staff members working in residential wings during night state should be up to date with ir training. 2. In line with establishment s fire safety policy, practical fire training drills should be undertaken to confirm that prison staff can undertake cell fire SSoW in time required to maintain predicted tenability within cell in event of a fire. Both day-time and simulated night-time scenarios should be tested. date of Maintenance of fire safety s 4(1)(d), The responsible person has not ensured that fire detectors provided to safeguard prison staff and prisoners from fire are subject to a suitable system of maintenance so that prison staff can receive and act upon adequate early warning of fire in every cell in order to safeguard mselves and prisoners whose safety lies within ir responsibility. failure to comply, including an 1. Arrangements must be implemented to ensure that all fire detectors are subject to a suitable system of testing and maintenance, and maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. date of Fire Safety Management The responsible person has not established suitable co-operation and coordination with or responsible persons. failure to comply, including an 1. Effective arrangements should be implemented to ensure that, where PPM checks establish that fire safety facilities, equipment and devices are not in effective working order, this information is communicated effectively to or responsible persons. Date Required date of

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