§ Rear-Admiral Morgan-Gilesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for the installation of sprinkler stop systems in all mental hospitals.
§ Mr. CrossmanDetailed guidance for hospital authorities on all relevant types of fire alarm systems and fire fighting appliances is contained in Hospital Technical Memorandum No. 16 entitled "Fire Precautions". This covers the needs of hospitals of all kinds, including those for the mentally ill. The memorandum has recently been revised and the new edition will be published shortly. Advance copies have been sent to hospital authorities.
The choice of equipment is for hospital authorities themselves to make, taking account of this guidance and after seeking the advice of the local fire authorities.
The memorandum says that automatic sprinklers in hospitals may be justified in 18W areas of high risk where fire is liable to develop unobserved or where, within a main building, an outbreak would constitute an unusual danger to the occupants or be particularly difficult to extinguish; for example, in a main stores below ground level. The use of sprinklers is, therefore, largely confined to areas where there is a relatively high fire risk and which may be unoccupied for long periods.