In March 2025, HIQA published Version 1.2 of its Fire Safety Handbook, titled "A guide for providers and staff of designated centres." At 164 pages, it is the most detailed fire safety guidance HIQA has produced for the residential care sector. It covers governance, risk assessment, evacuation strategy, building maintenance, firefighting equipment, and staff training across designated centres for older people, people with disabilities, and children in special care units.

There is a lot to welcome in this document. It brings together in one place the regulatory framework under the Health Act 2007 (as amended), the building control requirements, and the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. It gives providers a structured approach to fire safety management that goes well beyond what the regulations alone set out.

But there are issues. And one of them could put residents at serious risk.

This Is Guidance, Not Legislation

The first thing every provider needs to understand is that the HIQA Fire Safety Handbook is a guidance document. It is not legislation. It does not have the force of law in the way that the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013 do, or in the way that the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003 do.

The handbook itself acknowledges this. It states that it "will not answer all questions relating to fire safety for each individual designated centre" and that it will "highlight overarching principles of best practice." It is written to help providers meet their obligations, not to replace those obligations.

This distinction matters. Providers who treat the handbook as a compliance checklist, ticking off each item and assuming they are covered, may find themselves falling short of the actual legal requirements under Regulation 28 of the care and welfare regulations. The handbook is a starting point for thinking about fire safety. It is not the finish line.

The regulations themselves remain the legal standard against which HIQA inspectors assess compliance. The handbook helps you get there. But it is the regulations and national standards that carry legal weight.

The Role of the Competent Fire Safety Professional

One of the strongest aspects of the handbook is its repeated emphasis on the need for a competent fire safety professional. This is not buried in a footnote. It runs through the entire document.

On page 12, the handbook states clearly that it "should be read in conjunction with your assessment-judgment framework, guidance on the assessment of your designated centre and the Regulation Handbook." It also makes clear that "due to the technical nature of some requirements, the narrative will also inform providers whenever a competent fire safety professional should be consulted."

Chapter 2 dedicates a full section to what a competent fire safety professional should bring to the table. According to the handbook, this person should have sufficient training, qualifications, experience and knowledge of:

fire precautions required in designated centres
health and safety requirements of fire safety management
the operation of a designated centre
how the needs of residents and children may affect fire precautions
the identification and assessment of fire hazards and risks in designated centres

The handbook goes further, referencing the definition from S.I. No. 635 of 2017, which states that a competent person is one who "possesses sufficient training, qualifications, experience and knowledge appropriate to the nature of the fire safety risk assessment, having regard to the size or hazards (or both) of the building to be assessed."

This is welcome. Too many providers have relied on generic fire safety certificates or opinions of compliance with building regulations, assuming these cover everything. They don't. The handbook makes clear that building regulation compliance and Regulation 28 compliance are two separate things. A building can comply fully with Part B of the building regulations and still fail to meet the fire safety management requirements under the Health Act 2007.

Providers should take this seriously. A competent fire safety professional who understands both the building regulations and the care regulations is essential, not optional.

The Fire Blanket Problem

Now to the issue that concerns us most.

The handbook includes training requirements for staff, and rightly so. Page 46 states that "the regulations for designated centres for older people and for special care units require that training be provided in the procedures to be followed should the clothes of a resident or a child catch fire." This is a direct regulatory requirement under Regulation 28.

Page 51 expands on this under the heading "Training in response to the clothes of a resident catching fire." It identifies the conditions that increase the risk, including smoking, oxygen treatment, cooking, exposure to naked flame, and the use of open fires. It says these should be "comprehensively risk assessed" and that "residents and children at high risk should be known to all staff on duty."

All of that is correct.

The problem is what equipment the handbook places in the areas where these fires are most likely to happen.

On page 77, in the section dealing with designated smoking areas, the handbook lists the equipment that should be provided. That list includes fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and firefighting equipment. On page 129, fire blankets are again listed as standard firefighting equipment alongside extinguishers, hose reels, and suppression systems.

When a resident's clothing catches fire in a smoking area, what is the nearest piece of equipment a staff member will reach for? The fire blanket mounted on the wall beside them.

This is where the guidance falls short. The handbook does not warn providers about the significant risks associated with using a fire blanket on a person whose clothing is on fire. And those risks are well documented.

We Have Already Raised This Issue

This is not a new concern for Phoenix STS. We have previously published a detailed article on this exact topic, titled Fire Extinguishers vs Fire Blankets for Clothing Fires, which is available on our website. That article sets out in full the reasons why a water-based portable fire extinguisher is a safer and more effective response to a clothing fire than a fire blanket.

The HIQA handbook's approach reinforces the need for providers to think carefully about this issue and to take advice from a competent fire safety professional rather than simply following the equipment list at face value.

Fire Blanket vs Fire Extinguisher: A Side-by-Side Comparison

The following is a practical comparison of each approach when responding to a person whose clothing is on fire.

Using a Fire Blanket on a Person

Approach distance: You must get within arm's length of the person. Their clothing is burning. They are in pain and almost certainly panicking.

Victim behaviour: A person whose clothes are on fire will instinctively scream, thrash, flail their arms, and try to run. This is a natural human response to pain and fear. It is not something that can be trained out of them. Wrapping a blanket around a moving, panicking person is extremely difficult in practice.

Risk of fanning flames: Unfurling the blanket and sweeping it towards the person creates air movement. Air movement feeds fire. There is a real risk that the blanket application itself momentarily intensifies the flames before contact is made.

Heat trapping: A fire blanket works by smothering the fire, cutting off the oxygen supply. But while it smothers the flame, it also traps the heat generated by the burning material against the person's skin. The visible fire may be out, but thermal injury continues underneath the blanket. The burns keep getting worse even after the flames are no longer visible.

Coverage failure: A standard fire blanket to I.S. EN 1869:2019 is designed for small fires, primarily cooking fires. Wrapping it fully around a standing adult whose clothing is burning across multiple areas of their body is extremely difficult. Any gap in coverage allows the fire to continue burning.

Rescuer injury: The rescuer must make direct physical contact with a person who is on fire. The risk of burns to the rescuer's hands, arms, and face is significant.

Using a Water-Based Fire Extinguisher on a Person

Approach distance: A portable water extinguisher can deliver a jet of water from several metres away. The rescuer does not need to be within arm's length of the fire.

Victim behaviour: Because the extinguisher operates at distance, the victim's panic response is less of a barrier. The rescuer does not need to physically restrain or wrap the person.

Cooling effect: Water actively cools the burning material and the skin underneath it. This is the critical difference. While a fire blanket traps heat, water removes it. Cooling is the single most important first-aid response to a burn injury. A water extinguisher begins that cooling process at the same moment it extinguishes the flame.

Coverage: A water extinguisher can be directed across the full extent of the burning area. It is not limited by the size of a blanket. The rescuer can adjust the stream to cover wherever the fire is burning.

Speed of deployment: Picking up an extinguisher, pulling the pin, and directing the jet takes seconds. Attempting to unfurl a blanket, approach a panicking person, and wrap them fully is a much longer and more complex physical task.

Rescuer safety: The rescuer remains at a safe distance throughout.

The Clear Conclusion

For a clothing fire on a person, a water-based fire extinguisher is safer for both the victim and the rescuer. It extinguishes the fire and cools the burn at the same time, from a safe distance, without requiring physical contact with someone who is on fire and in panic.

A fire blanket has its place. In a kitchen, where a pan of oil catches fire and the pan is sitting stationary on the hob, a fire blanket dropped over the pan from above is a perfectly appropriate response. The pan is not moving. The pan is not screaming. The pan is not running down the corridor. That is the use case a fire blanket is designed for.

It is not designed for use on a person.

A note on CO2 extinguishers: CO2 fire extinguishers must never be used on a person. The discharge temperature is approximately minus 78 degrees Celsius. The gas displaces oxygen. Using a CO2 extinguisher on a person will cause frostbite and could cause asphyxiation. Only water-based extinguishers should be used on a clothing fire.

A Fire Blanket Is Not a Smoker's Protective Apron

The handbook also references, on page 77, the use of "a large size smoking blanket or smoking apron" as protective equipment for residents who smoke. This is part of the individual care plan for smokers and relates to personal protective equipment worn by the resident during supervised smoking.

It is important that providers and staff understand the difference between these two items.

A smoker's protective apron is a flame-retardant garment worn by a resident while smoking. It is designed to prevent a dropped cigarette or ash from igniting the resident's clothing in the first place. It sits on the resident's lap and chest area during supervised smoking and is removed afterwards. Its purpose is prevention, not firefighting.

A fire blanket is a piece of firefighting equipment, designed to I.S. EN 1869:2019, mounted on a wall or in a quick-release container. Its designed purpose is to be placed over a small fire, typically a cooking fire, to smother it by cutting off the oxygen supply.

These are two entirely different items with two entirely different purposes. A smoker's protective apron prevents ignition. A fire blanket responds to a fire that has already started. One is worn by the person. The other is deployed onto a fire.

The handbook mentions both in the context of smoking areas, which is correct. But providers must ensure that staff understand the distinction and that both items are used for their intended purpose.

What Should Providers Do?

The HIQA Fire Safety Handbook is a useful document. Read it. Use it as a framework. But treat it as what it is: guidance, not gospel.

Here is what we recommend:

1. Engage a competent fire safety professional to review your fire safety programme against the actual requirements of Regulation 28 and the care and welfare regulations. The handbook tells you to do this, and it is right.

2. Review your firefighting equipment strategy for designated smoking areas. Fire blankets should be provided, yes. But staff must be trained that for a clothing fire on a person, the correct first response is a water-based fire extinguisher, not a fire blanket.

3. Review your staff training on clothing fires. The regulations require training in what to do when a resident's clothes catch fire. That training must include clear guidance that a fire blanket is not the appropriate response for a person who is on fire. Water cools. Blankets trap heat.

4. Make sure your staff know the difference between a smoker's protective apron and a fire blanket. Both have a role. Neither can do the other's job.

5. Do not treat the handbook as a standalone compliance tool. It is one piece of a larger picture that includes the care and welfare regulations, the Fire Services Acts, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, and the relevant Irish Standards for fire detection, emergency lighting, and fire extinguishers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the HIQA Fire Safety Handbook a legal requirement?

No. The handbook is a guidance document published by HIQA to help providers meet their obligations under the Health Act 2007 and its associated regulations. The regulations themselves are the legal requirement.

Do I still need a fire safety consultant if I follow the handbook?

Yes. The handbook itself states repeatedly that providers should consult a competent fire safety professional. Following the handbook alone does not guarantee compliance with Regulation 28 or the building regulations.

Should I use a fire blanket on a person whose clothing is on fire?

No. A water-based fire extinguisher is safer and more effective for clothing fires on a person. It cools the burn while extinguishing the flame, and can be used from a safe distance. A fire blanket traps heat against the skin and requires close physical contact with a panicking person.

What is the difference between a fire blanket and a smoking apron?

A fire blanket is firefighting equipment designed to smother small fires, typically in kitchens. A smoker's protective apron is a flame-retardant garment worn by a resident during supervised smoking to prevent clothing ignition. They are different items with different purposes.

Does the HIQA handbook apply to all nursing homes in Ireland?

It applies to all designated centres regulated by the Chief Inspector of Social Services within HIQA. This includes residential centres for older people, centres for people with disabilities, and children's special care units.

What Irish Standard applies to fire blankets?

I.S. EN 1869:2019 is the current Irish Standard for fire blankets. Fire extinguishers are covered by I.S. 291:2015+A1:2022.

What should be in a designated smoking area?

The HIQA handbook recommends flame-retardant furniture, suitable ashtrays, a first-aid kit with burn gel, emergency call alarms, fire extinguishers, fire blankets, firefighting equipment, and an appropriate escape route. We would add that staff working in the area must understand that for a clothing fire, the water extinguisher is the correct first response.

How often should fire safety training be provided?

Annually at a minimum, with additional training when fire precautions change, staff responsibilities change, the premises change, or deficiencies in staff knowledge are identified. New staff should receive formal training as soon as possible after starting.

Contact Us

For expert guidance on fire safety, health and safety compliance, or training for your organisation, contact Phoenix STS. Call us on 043 334 9611 or visit our contact page.

This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Providers should seek specific advice tailored to their designated centre from a competent fire safety professional.