Smoking & Emollients – Fire Risk Reminder !!

The Coroner for Staffordshire (South) has issued a Prevention of Future Deaths notice to the DHSC, NICE, Public Health England, the BMA, the CQC and certain social housing providers requiring action to address the risk of fire posed to smokers using emollients.

As set out in a previous post, the MHRA published a Drug Safety Update in 2018 which emphasised and updated earlier advice to healthcare professionals about the risk of ignition posed by emollient build-up in clothing, bedding, bandages or other fabric.

The following resources produced by NHS bodies and Fire & Rescue Services from around the country  may help when advising patients & carers of the risks and precautions:

• NHS Choices – guide to emollients
• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough PIL
• National Patient Safety Agency 2007 patient information leaflet
  • plus other resources
• West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue – very comprehensive suite of resources, including a couple of YouTube videos – also available via PSNC.
• London Fire Brigade 2018
• Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service
• National Fire Chiefs Council 2018
  • “…..there have now been in excess of 50 deaths in the UK where the build-up of emollients on bedding, dressings or clothing may have contributed to the speed and intensity of the fire. Many of these fires were caused by people who smoked and were unaware of the fire risks associated with emollient build-up on fabrics.”
• PrescQIPP bulletin 2013
• Rochdale Safeguarding Notice – particularly relevant to care settings
• CQC Learning from Incidents Issue 3