by Louise Doyle
AN extractor unit over a cooking area had signs of significant grease or material build up and created a potential fire risk, an unannounced inspection at a Letterkenny nursing home found.
The findings of the inspection carried out at Archview Lodge Nursing Home by Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) raised repeated fire precaution concerns.
The unannounced risk inspection in February was to follow up on the provider’s progress with addressing actions from a previous inspection in regards to premises and fire safety. Findings were published recently
But HIQA found the follow-up inspection was again not compliant in the area of fire precautions.
While the provider had completed their previous compliance plan commitments but notwithstanding this, the registered provider had failed to meet the regulatory requirements on fire precautions in the centre.
Day-to-day arrangements in place at the centre did not provide adequate precautions against the risk of fire.
The report states: “For example, oxygen cylinders were noted to be stored outside. However, they were not secured from falling over. A refuse bin was observed to be placed up against a generator and created a potential fire risk. Refuse bins should be adequately separated from heating sources and maintained in their own separate refuse area. Signage was noted to be lacking in the kitchen area to indicate the location of the gas shut off valve and the electrical power shut off switch to staff in the event of a fire. An extractor unit over a cooking area had signs of significant grease or material build up and created a potential fire risk.”
Inspectors found the provider needed to improve the means of escape for residents and emergency lighting in the event of an emergency in the centre.
“For example, a fire exit located in a sluice room was indicated on the evacuation floor plans as a designated fire exit however, the inspector found this to be locked and not in use. Furthermore, two fire exits were lacking emergency fire exit signage. A fire exit sign in a dining room was not illuminated and the fire exit door was fitted with full length curtains that could impede instant egress in the event of an evacuation,” the report states.
The majority of fire doors in the centre were fitted and maintained to a good standard.
However the inspector did note some of the bedroom fire doors had a gap underneath the door over the allowable tolerance and a cross corridor fire door smoke seal had been painted over, which rendered it ineffective to contain smoke.
The inspection report further stated: “Arrangements for evacuating all persons in the designated centre and safe placement of residents in the event of a fire emergency in the centre were not adequate and required further review to ensure full compliance with the regulation and to ensure residents were safe.
“From a review of the simulated evacuation drills for the largest compartment, which were based on night time staffing levels, demonstrated an extended evacuation time. As the evacuation time was excessive, this implied a deficit in the evacuation strategy.”
The provider has since taken a number of actions to ensure full compliance in the area of fire precautions.
These include that all refuse bins previously placed against a generator are now stored in a separate refuse area away from all heating sources.
Furthermore, additional fire safety signage has been put up in the kitchen area to indicate to staff the location of the newly installed gas shut off valve and the electrical power shut off switch in the event of a fire.
The provider has also attended to a deep cleaning of the extractor unit over the cooking area and removed grease or material build up.
The inspector noted that staff were very attentive and respectful to residents, and that the atmosphere was relaxed and homely.
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