Fire risk assessment in mobile homes
Andrew T. Arthur MPH MCIEH FRSPH
Fire
Remains of caravan following fire - Worcester
Fire risk control

Non mobile dwellings
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New build and conversions - Building Regulations
Part B
Existing non mobile dwellings – HA 2004 Part 1
Mobile homes:
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Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act
1960 – Site licensing
Model Standards 2008 for Caravan Sites in Wales
BS 3632:2005 Residential park homes.
Specification.pdf
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Fire risk control
 Model standards:
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Statutory guidance – LA to have regard to
standards generally and must have regard
to any advice given by Fire Authority
Specifies minimum separation distances
6m separation minimum, 5.25m where
facing walls Class 1 fire resistance
Perceptions
 With regards to fire safety:
– Mobile homes are dangerous
– They are more dangerous than normal
dwellings, and as a consequence
– Deserve considerable enforcement
attention and possible intervention
Perceptions
Remains of caravan following double fatality in Sunny
Sands Caravan Park near Barmouth in June 2011
Fire risk
 In EH terms - not concerned about
damage to property only human
casualties and fatalities
 What do the statistics tell us?
Fire risk
 Fire stats specific to mobile homes can
be somewhat difficult to find
 Mobile homes included in UK dwelling
fire stats since 1988
 Definition of dwelling made more
specific in 2000 to include all non
permanent structures used solely as
dwellings
Fire risk
 DCLG publication in 2006 estimated –
circa 9 deaths and 100 injuries p.a.*
* Protect your caravan or mobile home from fire
(http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firesafetyprotect)
Fire risk evidence
 Statistical evidence supporting HHSRS
vol. 2 – estimated 89% of all fires do
not result in any injury
 Fatalities in fires in GB shows
downward trend from 1981 to date
Fatal casualties in dwelling fires 1981-2011
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1983/4 1987/8 1991/2 1995/6 1999/00 2003/4 2007/8
1981/2 1985/6 1989/90 1993/4 1997/8 2001/2 2005/6 2009/10
Dwellings
Fire risk evidence
 Evidence from Op. Guidance shows
overall average likelihood of harm to be
low:
Fire risk evidence
 Calculating out the risk of injury and
death from these figures gives us:
 Annualised risk of death from dwelling
fire 1: 68000
 Annualised risk of non fatal injury from
dwelling fire 1: 5118
Fire risk evidence
 Are the figures in mobile homes
different?
 Fire stats in mobile homes only readily
available for 2009/10 and 2010/11 (prior
to this no electronic records kept)
Fire risk evidence
Fire risk evidence
Fire risk evidence
Fire risk evidence
 How do these figures compare in
practice?
Fire risk evidence
 How do these figures compare in
practice?
Fire risk evidence
 How do these figures compare in
practice?
Fire risk evidence
 Differences in likelihood from
Op.guidance as a result of differences
in counting casualties
 Four classes of casualty counted
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(i) Hospital admission – injuries appear
serious
(ii) Hospital – injuries appear slight
(iii) First aid given at scene
(iv) Precautionary check recommended
– no obvious injury or distress
L.A. management of fire risk
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The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
(the “FSO”) applies to caravan sites and disapplies
some fire related standards that may be in current
site licensing conditions.
L.A. must satisfy itself that site owner aware of, and
is complying with the obligations under FSO and has
carried out a fire risk assessment. L.A. must seek
the advice of the local Fire and Rescue Authority in
this regard
L.A.'s applying standards relating to fire safety
where FSO does not apply must consult the local
Fire and Rescue Authority
L.A. management of fire risk
 6m separation often problematic in
older mobile home sites
 LA can consider reduction in
appropriate circumstances e.g:
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Specific types of construction
Retro fitment of fire resistant claddings
Fire separating screens or structures
L.A. Management of fire risk
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6m separation is generally accepted as
being a realistic distance to prevent fire
spread between units
However, based on limited testing
Little evidence of fire spread between mobile
homes appears to exist
As fire safety measures exist to protect life
and limb not property, fire warning measures
may be sufficient
L.A. Management of fire risk

In considering appropriateness of existing site
licence conditions, LA's should have regard to:
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Para. 3 of the introduction to the Model
Standards 2008 and,

Paras. 31 and 32 of the Model standards
enforcement guidance
Questions?