Coopers Fire Highlights The Key Points And What To Remember To Ensure Hotel Fire Safety

With constant footfall, regular cooking and many employees switching up on irregular shifts, hotels require a dedicated focus on fire safety, in order to keep everyone and the building safe at all times. If a fire breaks out in a hotel, many people will find themselves in danger. Hotel owners, managers and employees must recognize the importance of hotel fire safety, so as to prevent hundreds of people from an emergency.

To keep a hotel, its staff and visitors safe, regulations need to be in place to prevent a fire outbreak. A hotel fire can develop quickly and leave visitors feeling incredibly vulnerable, especially with hotels providing accommodation for overnight stays.

Common causes of hotel fires

Cooking equipment is one of the leading causes of fires in hotels, because of the continuous daily risk

A hotel kitchen is constantly cooking up a storm for guests dining in the evening or ordering room service in the early hours. Cooking equipment is one of the leading causes of fires in hotels, because of the continuous daily risk. Ensuring that the kitchen is clean and all fire equipment is accessible and tested is essential to keep the risks at a minimum.

There also runs a risk of some guests not knowing the safety etiquette expected by the hotel. Ensuring presence of clear fire safety signs throughout the hotel and in each room will help educate desks and limit risks, such as smoking indoors and leaving fire doors open.

Need for a hotel fire safety plan

Employees may feel panicked in an emergency. With a hotel fire safety plan, there is a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities that are needed, in order to keep the building and its occupants safe for fire spread.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires those responsible to carry out a fire risk assessment of the building. With an effective fire risk assessment, hotel owners and staff can note any potential hazards in the hotel and how to prevent them.

It is also a legal requirement to provide fire safety training to all employees, so that they know the steps to take during a fire incident. This is especially important in a hotel, where different visitors are leaving and arriving every day.

Hotel fire risk assessment

A comprehensive fire risk assessment for hotels will include numerous areas and situations, where a fire could happen. These can include:

• Hotel rooms – Any electrical equipment supplied in hotel rooms should be safety checked and tested annually. Having safety signs to make guests and employees aware of the dangers when using any appliances will help limit the risks.
• Kitchens – The risk of fire in a hotel kitchen depends on several factors. A big hotel will have a larger kitchen with plenty of staff to supervise, whereas a smaller hotel may be limited to keeping an eye on the kitchen at all times.
• Lobbies and hallways – Any communal areas need to be noted on the fire risk assessment, as they will be the main areas where footfall occurs. This is also where most fire equipment will be located.
• Lifts – Lifts need to be considered in a fire risk assessment because they should not be permitted to be used, during a fire breakout.
• Smoking areas – Smoking is a major cause of fire in hotels and commercial buildings, and non-smoking areas must be made clear to prevent people from discarding lit cigarette butts and causing a fire.
• Cleaning and storage cupboards – Cupboards are generally full of linen, clothing and cleaning products, which also mean that they are full of hazards. Keeping the enclosed areas clean and tidy will help keep the fire at bay.

Fire alarms, extinguishers and emergency lights

Fire safety equipment is an important addition to any hotel or commercial building. Fire alarms will detect a fire sometimes before it has even begun, and fire extinguishers will allow guests and workers to put out a fire with ease.

Emergency lighting is especially crucial because it helps occupants to evacuate the building as safely as possible, when a fire breaks out in the establishment.

Penhallow Hotel fire incident

The worst British hotel fire in over 30 years occurred in the Penhallow Hotel, in Newquay

The worst British hotel fire in over 30 years occurred in the Penhallow Hotel, in Newquay, which sadly left three guests dead. An incredible 100 firefighters were needed to control the flames that quickly spread throughout the 54-bedroom Cornish Hotel, in the early hours of 18th August 2007.

The building was later demolished and four years later, it was discovered that the hotel owner had breached health and safety regulations, which resulted in £80,000 worth of regulatory fines, which is arguably a ‘travesty’ to the victims’ relatives.

In 2009, an inquest revealed that the hotel did not comply with fire safety regulations introduced in 2005, stating that each room must have its personal smoke alarm, which was not the case with the hotel. The fire alarm could not be heard from the third floor and there was also a suitcase left in the hallway – obstructing the evacuation route.

Coopers Fire offers efficient fire curtains

Because fire curtains are discreet in style and come in all shapes, sizes, and for a wide range of applications, they are considered as an all-rounded solution to protect all hotel environments.

Coopers Fire, globally renowned fire safety solutions company, offers fire curtains that are highly recognized as the modern alternative and offer designers the freedom to design modern, open-plan spaces, without compromising on fire safety.