Healthcare Fire Safety Policies
Healthcare fire safety policies are essential documents for nursing homes, residential care facilities, and designated centres in Ireland. Our bespoke policy documents ensure your facility meets HIQA Regulation 28 requirements, the Fire Services Act 1981, and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. All policies prepared by qualified fire safety professionals. Professional indemnity insured.
Healthcare Fire Safety Policies Ireland
Comprehensive healthcare fire safety policies tailored to the unique requirements of nursing homes and designated centres. At Phoenix STS, we develop bespoke fire safety policy documents that ensure your facility meets and exceeds the stringent fire safety regulations mandated by HIQA Regulation 28, the Fire Services Act 1981 (as amended), and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
⚕️ HIQA Regulation 28: Fire Safety Policies for Designated Centres
HIQA Regulation 28 (Fire Precautions) requires that designated centres maintain adequate documented arrangements for fire safety management. This includes written policies covering fire prevention, detection, containment, and evacuation. Well-structured fire safety policies demonstrate your commitment to resident protection and regulatory compliance.
Phoenix STS develops healthcare fire safety policies that directly address HIQA expectations, providing the documented evidence inspectors require during registration and inspection visits.
HIQA
Regulation 28 Compliant
Bespoke
Tailored to Your Facility
BEng
Fire Engineers
PI Insurance
Full Cover
Healthcare Fire Safety Policy Enquiries
Why Healthcare Facilities Need Fire Safety Policies
📋 Regulatory Compliance
Fire safety policies are required under HIQA Regulation 28 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Documented policies demonstrate your systematic approach to fire safety management.
🛡️ Consistent Standards
Written policies ensure all staff follow the same fire safety procedures, maintaining consistent standards across shifts, departments, and during staff changes or agency cover.
✅ Inspection Readiness
HIQA inspectors expect to see documented fire safety policies during registration and inspection visits. Well-prepared policies demonstrate governance and due diligence.
🎓 Staff Training Foundation
Fire safety policies provide the foundation for staff training programmes, ensuring employees understand their responsibilities and the procedures they must follow.
⚖️ Legal Protection
Documented policies demonstrate that your organisation has taken reasonable steps to manage fire risks, providing important legal protection in the event of an incident or investigation.
📊 Continuous Improvement
Written policies establish a baseline for review and improvement, enabling your facility to track changes, learn from incidents, and continuously enhance fire safety standards.
Comprehensive Healthcare Fire Safety Policy Documents
Phoenix STS develops a complete suite of fire safety policies tailored to healthcare environments. Our policy documents address all aspects of fire safety management required for nursing homes and designated centres:
📋 Fire Safety Management Policy and Strategy
The core policy document establishing your facility’s commitment to fire safety. Grounded in rigorous assessment and continuous improvement, this policy ensures compliance with the Fire Services Act 1981 and Health Act 2007. Covers roles and responsibilities, risk assessment integration, and preventative measures to manage and mitigate potential fire hazards.
🔌 Safe Use of Personal Electrical Equipment Policy
Mandates regular inspections and maintenance checks to prevent electrical hazards such as short circuits or overheating. Staff guidance on risks associated with improper electrical equipment use and clear guidelines for safe usage in resident bedrooms and communal areas.
🔥 Hot Work Control Policy
Addresses welding, cutting, or any work generating heat and sparks which pose potential fire hazards. Requires all hot work operations under strictly controlled conditions using a permit-to-work system to ensure risks are assessed and safety measures in place before work begins.
🔔 Fire Detection and Alarm System Isolation Policy
Outlines procedures for temporarily isolating fire detection and alarm systems during maintenance or when faults could lead to false alarms. Ensures any isolation is brief with comprehensive risk assessments performed beforehand to protect premises and occupants continuously.
👷 External Contractors Fire Safety Policy
Guarantees all external contractors adhere to your fire safety standards. Contractors undergo orientation covering fire safety protocols and emergency procedures before beginning work, preventing safety lapses due to unfamiliarity with your methods or environment.
🔧 In-House Maintenance Fire Safety Policy
Ensures all maintenance personnel are proficient in fire safety best practices, particularly identifying and managing fire risks associated with maintenance activities. Includes ongoing updates and training on latest fire safety regulations and technology.
🚨 Emergency Response Plan
Detailed action plan outlining procedures for addressing fire or other emergencies. Tailored to each facility’s layout and risk factors, ensuring all staff are prepared and aware of their roles. Includes specific evacuation routes, assembly points, and processes for accounting for all individuals.
🚭 Smoking Policy
Controls smoking-related fire risks in healthcare environments where residents, visitors, or staff may smoke. Covers designated smoking areas, supervision requirements, and safe disposal of smoking materials.
🍳 Kitchen and Cooking Safety Policy
Addresses fire risks in commercial kitchens and resident cooking facilities. Covers equipment maintenance, safe cooking practices, extraction system cleaning, and procedures for responding to cooking fires.
🗄️ Housekeeping and Storage Policy
Manages fire loading and ensures escape routes remain clear. Covers storage of combustible materials, waste management, and maintaining clear access to fire safety equipment and exits.
Our Healthcare Fire Safety Policy Development Process
Initial Consultation and Needs Assessment
We discuss your facility, current documentation, regulatory requirements, and any specific concerns or HIQA findings that need addressing.
Site Visit and Document Review
A fire safety professional visits your premises to understand the building layout, fire safety systems, operational procedures, and existing documentation.
Policy Drafting
We prepare bespoke fire safety policies tailored to your facility, incorporating your specific layout, equipment, resident profile, and operational requirements.
Review and Approval
Draft policies are submitted for your review. We incorporate feedback and finalise documents for approval by the Person in Charge or Registered Provider.
Delivery and Implementation Support
Final policies delivered in editable format for ongoing updates. We provide guidance on implementation, staff communication, and integration with training programmes.
Legislative Framework for Healthcare Fire Safety Policies
- Fire Services Act 1981 (as amended): Requires the person in control to take all necessary fire safety measures, including documented procedures and policies.
- Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005: Mandates employers maintain comprehensive safety management systems including fire safety policies and procedures.
- HIQA Regulation 28 (Fire Precautions): Requires designated centres to maintain documented fire safety arrangements demonstrating adequate fire precautions.
- Health Act 2007: Establishes the regulatory framework for designated centres including fire safety governance requirements.
- General Application Regulations 2007: Provides detailed requirements for emergency planning documentation and fire safety measures in workplaces.
- Building Control Regulations Part B: Sets fire safety design requirements that inform policy content regarding compartmentation and means of escape.
⚠️ Fire Safety Policy Development Insurance
Given the regulatory importance of fire safety policies in healthcare facilities, it is essential that your provider carries comprehensive professional indemnity insurance. Phoenix STS maintains comprehensive PI insurance specifically covering fire safety consultancy services for healthcare facilities, protecting your organisation should any deficiency in our work contribute to regulatory action.
Benefits of Phoenix STS Healthcare Fire Safety Policies
- Healthcare Expertise: Our consultants possess extensive knowledge of healthcare-specific fire safety requirements, HIQA expectations, and best practices for nursing homes and designated centres.
- Bespoke Documents: Every policy is tailored to your specific facility, not generic templates. Policies reflect your building layout, equipment, resident profile, and operational procedures.
- Regulatory Alignment: All policies are developed to meet current legislative requirements and HIQA expectations, with ongoing updates as regulations change.
- Integrated Approach: Fire safety policies integrate with your fire risk assessment, evacuation planning, and fire safety management systems.
- Editable Formats: Policies delivered in editable formats allowing you to make updates as your facility changes, with version control guidance.
- Staff Training: Our comprehensive range of on-site and online courses supports implementation of your fire safety policies with CPD-certified training.
Healthcare Fire Safety Policies FAQs
What fire safety policies does a nursing home need?
At minimum, nursing homes need: a fire safety management policy, emergency response plan, evacuation procedures, fire detection and alarm system management policy, electrical safety policy, hot work control policy, external contractors policy, and maintenance procedures. Additional policies may be required depending on your facility’s specific risks and operations.
Are fire safety policies a legal requirement?
Yes. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires employers to have documented safety management arrangements including fire safety. For designated centres, HIQA Regulation 28 requires documented fire precautions. HIQA inspectors expect to see written fire safety policies during registration and inspection visits.
How often should fire safety policies be reviewed?
Fire safety policies should be reviewed annually as a minimum, or whenever there are changes to your premises, fire safety systems, legislation, or following any fire-related incident or near miss. Following a HIQA inspection with fire safety findings, immediate policy review may be required. All policies should have clear version control and review dates.
Can we use template fire safety policies?
Generic template policies are not recommended for healthcare facilities. HIQA expects policies to be specific to your facility, reflecting your building layout, fire safety systems, resident profile, and operational procedures. Template policies that do not reflect your actual arrangements may be challenged during inspection and provide inadequate protection in practice.
What is the difference between policies and procedures?
Policies set out what must be done and why, establishing principles and responsibilities. Procedures explain how to do it, providing step-by-step instructions. For example, your Fire Safety Management Policy establishes your commitment to fire safety and assigns responsibilities, while your Emergency Evacuation Procedure provides the specific steps staff must follow during an evacuation.
How do fire safety policies link to staff training?
Fire safety policies provide the foundation for staff training programmes. Policies define what staff must know and do, while training ensures they have the knowledge and skills to implement the policies effectively. Training records should demonstrate that staff have been trained on relevant policies and understand their responsibilities.
Do you provide policies for nursing home groups?
Yes. For nursing home groups, we can develop group-level policies establishing common standards alongside site-specific appendices reflecting each facility’s unique characteristics. This approach ensures consistency across your group while meeting the requirement for facility-specific documentation.
What format are the policies delivered in?
Policies are delivered in editable Microsoft Word format, allowing you to make updates as your facility changes. We include version control guidance and provide PDF versions for distribution. Policies can be integrated into your existing document management system or quality management framework.
Related Healthcare Fire Safety Services
Ensure Your Fire Safety Policies Meet HIQA Requirements
Contact Phoenix STS to discuss your healthcare fire safety policy requirements and discover how our bespoke policy documents can support your regulatory compliance and resident protection.
Page last updated: January 2026
