Implementing Passive Fire Protection in UK Care Homes During the Christmas Holidays

Christmas is one of the busiest and most sensitive periods of the year for UK care homes. With increased footfall, decorations, heating use, temporary electrical items, and staff working varied shifts, the fire risk profile of a care home changes significantly. Residents are often more vulnerable, mobility is reduced, and reliance on staff is even greater. This makes passive fire protection especially important during the festive period.

This guide explains how to implement, maintain, and strengthen passive fire protection systems in care homes at Christmas. It covers fire doors, fire stopping, compartmentation, maintenance requirements, and practical steps managers should take to keep residents safe while still enjoying the celebrations.

Understanding Passive Fire Protection in Care Homes

Passive fire protection, or PFP, is the hidden structure that slows fire and smoke movement. It provides time for safe evacuation and protects people who cannot evacuate quickly. In residential care settings, this time is essential.

PFP includes:

• Fire doors

• Fire stopping around service penetrations

• Smoke seals and intumescent materials

• Compartment walls and floors

• Fire rated ceilings and risers

• Dampers and structural protection

These systems work together, but only if each one is intact and maintained. Christmas brings new challenges that can weaken or obstruct them, so care homes must adapt their fire safety approach during the holidays.

Learn more in our Passive Fire Protection Overview Blog.

Why Fire Risk Increases in Care Homes During Christmas

Care homes experience environmental and operational changes during December. These can unintentionally compromise passive fire protection and increase overall fire risk.

Common increases in risk include:

• Extra electrical decorations and temporary lighting

• Staff shortages or agency cover

• Visitors unfamiliar with fire safety procedures

• Higher use of communal spaces

• Increased movement of equipment and trolleys

• Decorations placed on or near fire doors

• Wedges used to keep doors open for events or catering

• Greater reliance on heaters during cold weather

Care homes must manage these risks while maintaining a warm, celebratory atmosphere for residents.

Fire Doors: The Front Line of Care Home Fire Safety

Fire doors play a vital role in protecting vulnerable residents. Many of them may not be able to evacuate without support. A functional fire door prevents smoke and flames from spreading into bedrooms, corridors, and escape routes.

During Christmas, however, fire doors are often misused.

Examples of seasonal door misuse:

• Wreaths attached to fire doors

• Doors wedged open for visitors or events

• Decorations covering mandatory signage

• Presents, bins, or furniture blocking door clearances

• Damage worsening due to increased foot traffic

What care homes should do:

• Carry out a pre-Christmas fire door inspection using a competent person

• Remove any decorations obstructing seals or signage

• Ensure self closers work correctly

• Check for gaps around the door frame

• Confirm signage is visible and correct

• Repair defects promptly using certified contractors

For professional inspections, visit our Fire Door Inspection page.

For repairs, visit Fire Door Remedials.

As a BM TRADA Q Mark certified contractor, Protest ES Ltd ensures all work is compliant and suitable for environments with vulnerable residents.

Protecting Compartmentation During Festive Activities

Compartmentation is the structure that divides the care home into fire resisting areas. It prevents fire from spreading to other floors or wings. Any breach in these barriers can lead to rapid smoke movement.

Christmas activities often lead to accidental compartmentation breaches.

Common issues include:

• New cabling for temporary lighting

• Additional internet or media devices

• Hooking decorations onto ceilings or partitions

• Contractors completing festive installations without fire safety knowledge

• Staff creating shortcuts through service risers or voids

If care homes do not check and manage these penetrations, the safety of entire wings can be compromised.

For support, learn more about our Fire Compartmentation services.

Fire Stopping in Older Care Homes

Many UK care homes operate in older buildings, converted properties, or large estates. Festive decorations often interact with areas that already need maintenance.

This includes:

• Ageing riser walls

• Old service apertures

• Legacy penetrations around heating pipes

• Gaps around cable trays

• Missing collars or wraps

• Makeshift repairs by non certified staff

Christmas installations sometimes involve additional penetrations for power, AV equipment, or lighting. These must be fire stopped properly after removal to avoid long term risks.

For fully certified fire stopping, visit our Fire Stopping Services page.

Fire Door Maintenance and Repairs Before Christmas

With increased staff movement, catering deliveries, and decorations being moved around, fire door condition can quickly deteriorate. Regular maintenance ensures residents remain safe.

Key checks include:

• Seals and intumescent strips

• Self closer tension and function

• Hinges and screws

• Threshold gaps

• Door leaf alignment

• Frame condition

• Signage clarity

 If any issues are identified, arrange a BM TRADA certified repair.

Learn more about certified installation here: Fire Door Installation.

Conducting a Fire Risk Assessment Before the Holidays

A care home Fire Risk Assessment should reflect Christmas activities. More people, equipment, electrical items, and clutter mean FRAs must be updated to recognise new risks.

A pre-Christmas FRA should include:

• Assessment of temporary decorations

• Review of escape routes

• Confirmation of compartmentation integrity

• Review of fire procedures during events and visiting hours

• Checks on electrical load and distribution

• Evaluation of staff training and awareness

If your FRA finds concerns about passive fire protection, schedule a specialist assessment immediately. Learn more here: Fire Risk Assessment.

Managing Staff Awareness During Christmas

Staff turnover can rise during the holidays. Agency workers may be covering shifts, and permanent staff may be working unfamiliar hours.

Care homes should:

• Provide quick refresher training

• Give agency staff a 5 minute fire safety briefing

• Emphasise the importance of not wedging fire doors

• Identify high risk areas such as decorated corridors

• Ensure staff know how to report fire door or compartmentation defects

Simple staff knowledge often prevents holiday accidents.

Protecting Vulnerable Residents During Evacuation

Care home residents may rely on staff for evacuation or phased evacuation. Fire protection must slow the spread long enough to allow safe movement.

During Christmas, rooms may have additional clutter or electrical items from gifts and decorations.

Staff should be aware of:

• Obstructions in escape routes

• New equipment requiring PAT checks

• Increased ignition sources

• Temporary heaters

• Cooking appliances during festive events

Passive protection must be strong enough to compensate for these added risks.

Why Working With a BM TRADA Certified PFP Contractor Matters

Care homes cannot rely on quick fixes when dealing with passive fire protection. Only third party certified contractors should carry out inspections, repairs, or installations.

Protest ES Ltd provides:

• BM TRADA Q Mark fire door installation

• BM TRADA Q Mark fire door maintenance

• BM TRADA Q Mark Certified fire stopping installation

• Full digital reporting

• Photographic evidence

• Priority grading for defects

• National coverage

• Sensitive work around vulnerable residents

Certified work ensures liability protection, audit readiness, and long term compliance.

Conclusion

Christmas is a time of celebration in UK care homes, but it also brings higher fire risks. Decorations, visitors, electrical items, and staffing patterns all influence the safety of residents. Passive fire protection is the foundation that keeps people safe when evacuation is slow or difficult.

By strengthening fire doors, maintaining compartmentation, managing fire stopping, and conducting seasonal assessments, care homes can ensure a safe, enjoyable holiday period.

To strengthen passive fire protection in your care home this Christmas, contact Protest ES Ltd through our Get a Quote page.