All areas throughout Trust premises are fire risk assessed using Firecode HTM 84, 85/86 and supplement, and in accordance with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 2001. Non compliant precautions are included in the NHSCT Owned Premises Firecode Compliance Strategy.
The methodology adopted to develop this strategy was based on a 5 x 5 risk matrix and other relevant factors. The matrix was based on:
0 Hazard - established on a 1 – 5 scale depending upon building occupancy, with 5 being the highest risk to a 1 being the lowest risk.
The Northern Trust closes A&E units as they are unsafe, where is the health and safety concerns when not all their buildings are not up to date with firecode.Surly that is a risk?
To date the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has met the agreed nine year
Firecode compliance programme (included in appendix 1a) from 2007 with the NIFRS to upgrade its premises for compliance with current statutory Fire Safety Regulations and the DHSSP(NI) Firecode suite of documents with expenditure averaging £500,000 per annum.
Current backlog of Firecode Works is £1,569,544.00 with a planned completion date of 2014/15 (funding dependent) when all NHSCT owned buildings shall be compliant with current statutory fire safety regulations and the DHSSPS(NI) Firecode suite of documents. The 2011/12 proposed programme of Firecode Works equated to a value of £515,764.00 However only £127,037.00 was approved due to available funding which may affect 9 Year NIFRS programme.
The 2012/13 proposed programme of Firecode Works equates to £463,148.00 subject to funding being available. This will be completed with the £500,000.00 funding approved which includes the external design consultant fees.
The backlog for fire safety upgrading to Trust owned premises was identified as
£3,673,635 at December 2007 with a nine year programme to prioritise this work to completion. With funding to date, the Trust was able to clear £127,037.00 of Firecode works during 2011/12 which now equates to a backlog of £1,569,544.00 with 5% uplift for 2010/11 costs. The Trust has been able to reduce the Firecode programme to 6 years with a planned completion date of March 2015, however this date is dependent on available funding and may affect the date agreed with the NIFRS