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Hospital Fire Risk Assessment HTM 05-02 Compliant

Protect your patients, staff, and CQC compliance. Expert NHS hospital fire risk assessments with progressive horizontal evacuation strategies. HTM 05-02 & HTM 05-03 accredited, starting from £2,995.

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HTM 05-02 Compliant

CQC Approved

NHS Standards

Modern UK NHS Hospital Building - Fire Risk Assessment

Trusted & Accredited

Why Every Hospital Needs This

Healthcare facilities face unique fire risks that demand specialized assessment. With 1,327 NHS fires annually and vulnerable patients requiring progressive horizontal evacuation, compliance isn’t optional—it’s life-critical.

£2,995

Starting price for NHS trust assessments

Legal

Requirement under RRO 2005 and CQC standards

Annual

Review frequency for patient areas

Hospitals operate 24/7 with vulnerable occupants who cannot self-evacuate. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and CQC fundamental standards make comprehensive fire risk assessments mandatory for all NHS trusts and private healthcare providers. HTM 05-02 and HTM 05-03 provide specific guidance for healthcare premises, requiring annual assessments for clinical areas. With medical oxygen systems present in 68% of operating theatre fires and 29% of incidents caused by arson, specialized healthcare fire safety expertise is essential to protect lives and maintain regulatory compliance.

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Our Hospital-Specific 5-Step Process

We understand healthcare complexity. Our assessments address progressive horizontal evacuation, medical gas systems, and 24/7 operational challenges—not generic building checklists.

Clinical Area Survey

Comprehensive evaluation of patient areas, ICU, operating theatres, A&E, and mental health units

Medical Gas Assessment

Detailed inspection of oxygen storage, pipeline systems, and medical equipment fire risks

Evacuation Strategy

Progressive horizontal evacuation verification, compartmentation assessment, and patient categorization

HTM Compliance

Verification against HTM 05-02 design standards and HTM 05-03 operational requirements

CQC Documentation

Comprehensive reports meeting CQC inspection standards with action plans and timelines

6 Hospital Fire Hazards We Assess

These are the exact hazards that cause 1,327 NHS fires annually. We assess every single one with healthcare-specific expertise.

Medical Oxygen Cylinder Storage - Hospital Fire Safety

Medical Oxygen and Gas Storage Systems

68% of operating theatre fires

Medical oxygen systems represent the highest fire risk in healthcare facilities. Bulk oxygen storage often exceeds 20,000 SCF capacity, creating oxygen-enriched atmospheres that accelerate combustion and cause 68% of operating theatre fires. NFPA 99 and NFPA 55 mandate strict separation distances, fire-rated enclosures, and temperature controls. Hospital pipeline systems require three independent supply sources per BS EN 737-3:2000, with 24/7 manifold monitoring and oxygen sensors detecting leaks above 23.5% concentration.

Our Solution: Comprehensive medical gas system assessment including bulk storage separation verification (20-feet from combustibles), fire-rated enclosure inspection, pipeline integrity testing, manifold room safety evaluation, and oxygen sensor alarm functionality checks. We verify compliance with NFPA 99, NFPA 55, and BS EN 737-3:2000 standards.

Operating Theatre Environment - Fire Risk Assessment

Operating Theatre Fire Risks

550-650 surgical fires annually

Operating theatres present extraordinary fire risks from the combination of high oxygen concentrations, electrosurgical equipment producing 500°C heat, and flammable prep solutions. Surgical fires occur 550-650 times annually, with 70% during head, neck, and upper chest procedures. Oxygen concentration above 30% dramatically increases ignition risk, while open oxygen delivery during surgery creates oxygen-enriched atmospheres around surgical sites. Electrosurgical equipment sparks can ignite surgical drapes, endotracheal tubes, and alcohol-based prep solutions.

Our Solution: Specialized operating theatre assessment including oxygen management protocol verification, electrosurgical equipment safety evaluation, ventilation system assessment (minimum 10 air changes per hour), flammable material storage review, and fire prevention time-out procedure validation. We ensure compliance with surgical fire prevention guidelines and oxygen concentration management protocols.

Progressive Horizontal Evacuation Failures

30-minute refuge protection required

Hospitals cannot evacuate vertically like conventional buildings—many patients are sedated, bedbound, or connected to life-sustaining equipment. Progressive horizontal evacuation moves patients horizontally through fire-resistant barriers to adjacent compartments providing 30-minute protection refuges. HTM 05-02 requires compartmentation capable of accommodating occupant loads from adjacent areas. Inadequate fire door maintenance, propped-open fire doors, and breached compartmentation compromise this critical strategy, potentially trapping vulnerable patients in fire-affected areas.

Our Solution: Comprehensive compartmentation assessment including fire door integrity inspection (30-minute and 60-minute ratings), automatic fire door closer functionality, compartment capacity calculations for adjacent area occupant loads, refuge area adequacy evaluation, and progressive evacuation route verification ensuring movement away from fire sources toward ground level exits.

Hospital Patient Room with Medical Equipment

Electrical Medical Equipment Overload

High-voltage diagnostic equipment

Modern hospitals operate extensive electrical medical equipment including MRI scanners, CT scanners, X-ray machines, ventilators, monitoring systems, and infusion pumps drawing significant electrical loads. Equipment operates 24/7 with limited maintenance windows, increasing overheating and electrical fault risks. Patient bedside areas concentrate multiple electrical devices—monitors, pumps, beds, lighting—on single circuits. Portable equipment with damaged power cords presents additional ignition sources. Many NHS facilities have aging electrical infrastructure struggling to support modern equipment demands.

Our Solution: Electrical system assessment including circuit load evaluation, medical equipment electrical safety inspection, PAT testing verification, emergency electrical shutdown accessibility, backup power supply adequacy (generators and UPS systems), and electrical infrastructure capacity analysis for current equipment demands. We identify overloaded circuits and electrical fire risks specific to healthcare environments.

Pharmaceutical and Chemical Storage

COSHH and DSEAR compliance required

Hospital pharmacies and clinical areas store extensive pharmaceutical inventories including flammable solvents, alcohol-based preparations, and hazardous chemicals requiring COSHH and DSEAR compliance. Laboratory areas handle flammable reagents, cytotoxic drugs, and volatile substances. Cleaning cupboards store flammable cleaning agents and aerosols in significant quantities. Inadequate separation between incompatible chemicals, improper ventilation, and storage near ignition sources create fire and explosion risks. Many hospitals lack proper flammable liquid storage cabinets with spill containment and fire-resistant construction.

Our Solution: Chemical and pharmaceutical storage assessment including COSHH and DSEAR compliance verification, flammable liquid storage cabinet inspection (fire-rated construction with spill containment), ventilation adequacy evaluation, incompatible substance separation verification, storage quantity assessment against regulatory limits, and ignition source separation distance checks. We ensure compliance with pharmaceutical storage fire safety standards.

Hospital Fire Safety Systems and Equipment

Mental Health Unit Arson Risks

29% of NHS fires are deliberate

Mental health facilities face heightened arson risks, with 29% of NHS fires deliberately set and approximately one-fifth of hospital fire deaths linked to psychiatric patients. Disturbed or vulnerable patients may set fires deliberately or through self-harm attempts using smoking materials, lighters, or available combustibles. Ligature-resistant fittings required for patient safety can complicate fire safety measures. Secure environments need balanced evacuation strategies—preventing absconding while enabling rapid emergency egress. Staff must manage potentially aggressive or uncooperative patients during evacuations while maintaining therapeutic environments that don’t resemble prisons.

Our Solution: Mental health facility specialized assessment including ignition source elimination strategies, secure but accessible evacuation route design, ligature-resistant equipment fire safety evaluation, patient observation level adequacy for fire prevention, staff training assessment for managing disturbed patients during evacuations, and smoke detection system enhancement in patient rooms. We balance security, therapeutic environment, and fire safety requirements unique to mental health settings.

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What Your Report Includes

Everything CQC inspectors and NHS trusts require—delivered with healthcare-specific expertise.

Medical Gas Systems Evaluation

Comprehensive assessment of oxygen storage, pipeline systems, manifold rooms, and medical gas safety compliance with NFPA 99 and BS EN 737-3:2000 standards.

Progressive Horizontal Evacuation

Detailed compartmentation assessment, fire door integrity inspection, refuge area capacity calculations, and patient evacuation strategy verification.

Operating Theatre Fire Safety

Specialized assessment of surgical fire risks, oxygen management protocols, electrosurgical equipment safety, and ventilation system adequacy for oxygen concentration control.

HTM 05-02 & HTM 05-03 Compliance

Verification against NHS Firecode HTM 05-02 design standards and HTM 05-03 operational provisions ensuring full regulatory compliance for healthcare premises.

Mental Health Facility Assessment

Specialized evaluation of arson prevention measures, secure evacuation strategies, ligature-resistant equipment fire safety, and patient management procedures during evacuations.

Clinical Area Fire Hazards

Assessment of ICU equipment, A&E operational risks, maternity and pediatric unit considerations, diagnostic imaging equipment, and clinical waste storage fire hazards.

Staff Training Recommendations

Assessment of current fire safety training provisions, progressive horizontal evacuation training adequacy, patient evacuation triage procedures, and department-specific training requirements.

CQC-Compliant Documentation

Professional reports meeting CQC fundamental standards for fire safety, suitable for regulatory inspections, trust board reviews, and licensing authority submissions.

Pharmaceutical Storage Review

COSHH and DSEAR compliance assessment, flammable liquid storage evaluation, chemical separation verification, and pharmacy fire safety standards compliance.

Why NHS Trusts Trust Firerisk.io

We specialize in healthcare fire safety. Not generic commercial assessments—hospital-specific HTM expertise.

Healthcare Sector Specialists

Our assessors specialize exclusively in NHS and private healthcare facilities. We understand HTM 05-02/03, progressive horizontal evacuation, medical gas systems, and CQC requirements—not generic fire safety checklists. We’ve assessed hundreds of NHS trusts, private hospitals, and specialist healthcare facilities.

5-Day Report Guarantee

CQC inspection notice received? Trust board deadline approaching? We deliver comprehensive, HTM-compliant reports within 5 working days. Urgent assessments available within 48 hours for critical compliance requirements. No delays, no excuses.

CQC and NHS Acceptance

BAFE SP205 accreditation and HTM expertise mean CQC inspectors, NHS fire officers, and trust boards accept our assessments without question. We’ve supported hundreds of successful CQC inspections and trust compliance demonstrations across the UK.

Clinical Understanding

We balance fire safety requirements with clinical operational needs. Our recommendations support patient care delivery rather than hinder it, understanding that hospitals cannot simply shut down for remediation work. Pragmatic solutions recognizing NHS resource constraints.

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Hospital Fire Safety Questions Answered

Everything NHS trusts and healthcare providers ask us before booking

How often should hospitals conduct fire risk assessments?

NHS guidance recommends annual fire risk assessments for patient areas and higher-risk departments including ICU, operating theatres, A&E, and mental health units. Administrative office areas require full assessments every 3 years with annual reviews. HTM 05-03 specifies review periods should not exceed 12 months for clinical areas. Immediate reassessment is required after significant structural changes, refurbishment, incidents, or changes in use.

What is progressive horizontal evacuation in hospitals?

Progressive horizontal evacuation is the NHS-approved strategy of moving patients horizontally through fire-resistant barriers to adjacent safe compartments on the same floor, rather than attempting vertical evacuation of vulnerable patients. Each compartment provides a minimum 30-minute fire protection refuge, allowing time for fire suppression efforts without requiring immediate descent of stairs. This strategy recognizes that many patients are bedbound, sedated, or connected to life-sustaining equipment preventing rapid evacuation.

What are the main fire hazards in hospital settings?

Key hospital fire hazards include: medical oxygen systems (present in 68% of operating theatre fires), electrical medical equipment drawing high loads, 24/7 operations increasing risk exposure, chemical and pharmaceutical storage areas, arson (accounting for 29% of NHS fires), medical gas pipeline systems, kitchen facilities serving patients and staff, clinical waste storage, and mental health unit deliberate fire-setting risks. Each requires specialized assessment expertise.

How do HTM 05-02 requirements apply to hospital fire safety?

HTM 05-02 (Firecode: Design) provides mandatory guidance for fire safety in NHS healthcare premises design and construction. It covers fire-resistant construction standards, compartmentation requirements for progressive horizontal evacuation, escape route planning for vulnerable occupants, fire detection and alarm systems, and integration with HTM 05-03 operational provisions. Compliance ensures buildings meet fire safety standards appropriate for vulnerable occupants and complex medical operations that cannot cease during emergencies.

What special considerations apply to operating theatre fire safety?

Operating theatres require specific fire prevention measures including: limiting oxygen concentration below 30% when clinically possible, discontinuing open delivery of 100% oxygen during head, neck, and upper chest surgery where 70% of surgical fires occur, implementing fire prevention time-outs before using electrosurgical equipment, ensuring ventilation exceeds 10 air changes per hour to prevent oxygen enrichment, proper storage of flammable prep solutions, and staff training on surgical fire protocols. Electrosurgical equipment must be properly grounded and used at safe distances from oxygen sources.

How are mental health units addressed in hospital fire risk assessments?

Mental health units require enhanced fire safety measures due to elevated risks from patient-set fires (29% of NHS fires are arson) and self-harm attempts. Assessments must consider ligature-resistant equipment that maintains fire safety standards, secure but accessible evacuation routes for potentially uncooperative patients, enhanced staff training for managing disturbed patients during evacuations, elimination of potential ignition sources while maintaining therapeutic environments that don’t resemble prisons, and increased smoke detection coverage including patient rooms for early warning.

What are CQC requirements for hospital fire risk assessments?

The Care Quality Commission requires hospitals to demonstrate compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, maintain current fire risk assessments reviewed within required timeframes, implement identified safety measures with documented action plans, provide evidence of staff fire safety training appropriate to roles, demonstrate clear evacuation strategies for vulnerable patients including progressive horizontal evacuation implementation, and show regular fire drill participation. CQC inspectors review fire risk assessment quality, action plan progress, and staff knowledge during inspections.

How should medical gas storage be assessed for fire safety?

Medical gas storage assessments must verify: 20-feet separation from combustibles (or 5-feet in fully sprinklered rooms), one-hour fire-rated enclosures with 45-minute rated self-closing doors, temperature control systems preventing cylinders exceeding 130°F, oxygen concentration sensors with alarms set at 23.5%, secure access controls limiting entry to authorized personnel, three independent supply sources per BS EN 737-3:2000, and 24/7 manifold room monitoring by trained personnel. Bulk oxygen systems exceeding 20,000 SCF require enhanced safety measures including emergency shutdown procedures and leak detection systems.

What fire safety training do hospital staff require?

NHS staff require comprehensive fire training including: annual fire safety awareness training at induction and annually thereafter, role-specific evacuation procedures for clinical and non-clinical staff, progressive horizontal evacuation techniques including patient categorization (very dependent, dependent, independent), fire extinguisher and equipment use appropriate to roles, regular fire drills (minimum twice yearly) with scenario variations, specialized training for high-risk areas (operating theatres, ICU, mental health units), and management training for fire safety responsibilities under RRO 2005. Training must be documented and refreshed regularly.

How much do hospital fire risk assessments cost?

Hospital fire risk assessment costs vary based on facility size, complexity, and number of departments. Typical NHS trust assessments range from £2,995-£15,000 depending on: bed capacity and patient occupancy, number of buildings and sites, specialized departments (ICU, operating theatres, A&E, mental health units), medical gas systems complexity, and required documentation depth for CQC compliance. Community hospitals and smaller facilities cost less than major acute trusts. Annual review costs are typically 40-60% of initial comprehensive assessments.

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Don’t Risk CQC Non-Compliance

Without an HTM-compliant fire risk assessment, you cannot demonstrate CQC fundamental standards compliance. Enforcement notices can restrict admissions or force ward closures. Protect your patients and regulatory standing.

5-day report guarantee

HTM 05-02 & HTM 05-03 accredited

Healthcare fire safety specialists

CQC-compliant documentation

Progressive horizontal evacuation expertise

Protect Your Patients. Protect Your Compliance.

Join hundreds of NHS trusts and private healthcare providers who trust firerisk.io for HTM-compliant fire risk assessments. Book now.