Recurring concern
Failure to ensure staff competence in fire safety and evacuation
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Request correctionFirst reported 8 Jun 2016•Latest report 19 Apr 2026
What this concern includes
Includes failures to train, assess, verify, support or otherwise assure the competence of staff or other personnel responsible for fire safety, evacuation or associated emergency procedures, including failures to ensure that responsibilities are competently adopted and implemented.
Not included
- Excludes deficiencies in fire-risk assessment, fire detection, alarms, suppression, escape routes or physical premises protection where personnel competence is not the shared unsafe condition.
- Excludes generic staff training or role-clarity deficiencies unrelated to fire safety or evacuation.
- Excludes failures concerning evacuation of people unable to self-evacuate where the specific issue is the dedicated arrangements for assisting those people rather than general personnel competence.
- Excludes failures to implement fire-safety measures after competent personnel have been established, unless competence assurance is also deficient.
- Reports
- 6
- Individual concerns
- 7
- Date range
- 2016–2026
- Stated actions
- 9
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to standardise staff training on evacuation, alarm, telecare and fire suppression procedures
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of assurance that fire safety and evacuation responsibilities are competently adopted and implemented
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure staff competence in fire evacuation procedures
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
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Action
Report the staff competency concern to relevant committees to encourage debate and pursue improved outcomes.
Stated by National Fire Chiefs Council -
Action
Provide annual face-to-face fire warden training to all employees, including new joiners at the next available session.
Stated by Kennedys -
Action
Provide premises-specific induction training and annual refresher training to permanent and agency staff.
Stated by Kennedys
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Action
Conduct annual fire-safety competency assessments using the revised checklist and reassess staff against it.
Stated by Kennedys
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Fire precaution issues should be examined by technical committee FSH/14, which is responsible for relevant building fire-safety standards.
Stated by British Standards Institution
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Concerns raised2
Inadequate staff training on standards-compliant fire-alarm response
Failure to train staff to recognise and escalate linked and unlinked fire-alarm sounds
This report raised 11 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of carer training to assess household and appliance fire hazards
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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Action
Use Care Act assessments, risk-based analysis and care planning to identify and address fire risks through support or assistive technology.
Stated by Devon County Council -
Action
Share incident learning and alerting options with the Provider Engagement Network, including reminders about robust risk assessment and escalation of concerns.
Stated by Devon County Council -
Action
Provide carers with induction health and safety training covering risk assessment, hazardous substances and fire safety.
Stated by Guinness Care
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Action
Refresh carers’ health and safety training every three years.
Stated by Guinness Care -
Action
Invite the fire brigade’s Community Safety Champion to brief carers between formal training cycles on available support and fire risks.
Stated by Guinness Care
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Concerns raised1
Lack of means for responsible persons to verify fire risk assessor competence
This report raised 14 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026