HQN SAFETYnet

National fire statistics

Shared practice bulletin - Fire safety strategy

A shared practice policy from Ark Housing Association

Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats guidance

This sector-led guide has been developed by and for the housing sector and enforcing authorities to provide specific advice relating to purpose-built blocks of flats. It gives practical, comprehensive and proportionate advice across all housing sectors. As sector-led guidance, it does not introduce any new standards or regulations but clarifies a number of complex issues around risk assessment and fire safety management. This is to ensure that the residents of these buildings get appropriate advice from their landlords on what to do in the event of a fire. It is intended to meet the needs of housing providers and enforcing authorities for guidance tailored to purpose-built blocks of flats. These buildings are only a small part of the scope of other guidance documents. This document is intended to assist responsible persons to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Housing Act 2004 and accordingly, it is expected that enforcing authorities will have regard to this guide. The guidance complements existing fire safety guidance made available by DCLG and Local Government Regulation (formerly LACORS).

Mobility scooter bursts into flames

An elderly gentleman had a lucky escape when his mobility scooter burst into flames in the street, apparently due to an electrical fault.

The storage and charging of mobility scooters is an ongoing and serious concern amongst housing providers and this case highlights the instability of some of the machines.

Just take a moment to think about what could have happened if this was inside a block of flats or even a sheltered housing scheme.

The balance between allowing tenants to store and charge mobility scooters within communal areas and not doing so is sometimes a difficult decision, however, given the sudden nature of this incident, the risks should not be ignored.

You can read the story by clicking the link above.

Briefing: Electric mobility scooters

Assessing risks from mobility scooters in sheltered schemes

Fire risk assessor and hotel manager jailed for fire safety offences in landmark case

An external fire risk assessor and a hotel manager have both been jailed for eight months for fire safety offences.

David Liu, who runs The Dial Hotel and Market Inn, both in Mansfield, had previously pleaded guilty to 15 offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, while John O’Rourke of Mansfield Fire Protection Services pleaded guilty to two offences under the legislation. Sentencing the two defendants on 8 July at Nottingham Crown Court, the judge said that the time had come to send out a message to those who conduct fire risk assessments, and to hoteliers who are prepared to put profit before safety.

Officers from Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service visited both hotels as part of a routine inspection. They found that both premises were being used to provide sleeping accommodation on the upper floors and that fire precautions, which should have been provided to safeguard the occupants in the event of a fire, were inadequate. Due to the serious risk to life, they issued prohibition notices preventing any further use of both premises for sleeping accommodation until suitable improvements had been made.

Mr O’Rourke was prosecuted because he had prepared fire risk assessments for both premises. However the fire risk assessments failed to identify a number of significant deficiencies, said the prosecution, which would have placed the occupants at serious risk in the event of a fire.

The offences common to both hotels to which Mr Liu, as the responsible person, pleaded guilty were:

- A lack of a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment
- A failure to ensure effective means of escape with doors leading onto corridors not being fire resisting or having self-closers fitted
- A failure to ensure that emergency routes and exits were provided with emergency lighting
- A failure to ensure the premises were equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment, detectors and alarms in that there was no fire detection within the bedrooms
- A failure to ensure that equipment and devices provided were subject to a suitable system of maintenance in that the fire alarm system, emergency lighting system and firefighting equipment were not tested.

In addition at the Dial Hotel, officers found both staircases from upper levels terminating in the same ground floor area with no alternative escape routes or separation, a locked fire exit door, and exit routes obstructed by combustible materials. The other offence at the Market Inn related to a missing fire door and a window not being fire resisting.

Mr Liu was also ordered to pay costs of £15,000.

John O’Rourke, as a person other than the responsible person who had some control of the premises, pleaded guilty to two counts (one for each hotel) of failing to provide a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. He was ordered to pay costs of £5,860.

Fire safety guidance - overview

Maintenance of solid fuel appliances – Gentoo Group Ltd

BEKO fridge/freezer appliances – safety alert

You may already have heard that there is a fire risk with a number of Beko-manufactured appliances, estimated to be 500,000. Some fridges and/or freezers have already caught fire and caused considerable damage and, unfortunately, loss of life. London Fire Brigade estimates that there have already been 20 fires in London which can be attributed to the faulty appliances.

The problem with the equipment occurs when water gets in to the defrost time switch, which can lead to an electrical malfunction resulting in plastic components and other highly flammable insulation inside the appliance catching fire.

This is a serious issue and has the potential to have an impact on your housing stock.

Which? magazine has provided a page of really useful information, which gives details of the type of appliances concerned, what the risks are and also how to identify whether your appliance is one of those affected.
This information would be useful for your tenants, and we felt that you may like to share it with them – click here:

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/kitchen/guides/beko-fridge-freezer-fire-risk-qanda/

Trading Standards also has a webpage dedicated to this issue:

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/extra/news-item.cfm/newsid/704

One council, who had a blaze in one its blocks of flats, is undertaking an audit of how may homes may have the faulty appliances.

You can read more information here about what they are doing and why:

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/ihstory.aspx?storycode=6516514

Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats – summary briefing

Fire risk assessment competency criteria published

Fire safety guidance for purpose built blocks of flats

Draft guidance on fire safety for purpose built blocks of flats has now been published and is available on the LGA website.

The fire safety guidance for purpose built blocks of flats is sector owned guidance intended to give practical support and advice to all those with responsibilities for ensuring the safety of residents and others in these types of buildings.

It is relevant to private sector and social landlords, managing agents or facility managers, enforcement officers, advice agencies and those carrying out fire risk assessments.

The draft guidance is now out to consultation with the sector and the LGA would welcome your comments by 31 May 2011. Please use the template provided to feed back your comments directly to the LGA in order to help them to manage the information effectively. Their contact details are on the template form.

You can access the draft document and feed back template by clicking above.

The final guidance will be available as a free downloadable web-based document at the end of July 2011.

Good practice guidance - NASHiCS and CFOA

DCLG guidance - fire safety risk assessment - residential care premises

Shared practice bulletin - fire safety advice for tenants

A shared practice policy from Thurrock Council

Mobility scooter leaflet for tenants

Briefing - Fire Safety (NI) Regulations 2010

All you need to know about the new regulations

Fire safety guidance

Briefing by R J Evans

Shared practice bulletin on fire safety - HQN

A shared practice bulletin from the SAFETYnet benchmarking summit by Anne Mageean of Helm Housing

Emergency evacuation information for sheltered residents

Shared practice bulletin - South Staffordshire Housing Association

Fire action plan for tenants

Shared practice bulletin - South Staffordshire Housing Association

Home fire safety visits

Shared practice bulletin - NS Housing

Case study bulletin - Moat Homes

Innovative relationship-building with the Fire Service