Agenda item

Mark Nearey, Contract and Service Development Manager, and Phil Duffy, Technical Officer, Adult Care and Housing presented an overview of actions taken in managing fire risk at Beeversleigh and other Council Housing stock.

 

Beeversleigh

•              Beeversleigh was the only high rise block managed and owned by the Council

•              12 storeys, 48 flats, both 1 and 2 bedrooms

•              2 passenger lifts and 1 concrete staircase.

•              Recent investment £1.7m

•              Upgraded fire detection and installed a new sprinkler system

•              No external cladding

•              Current and up-to-date Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)

•              X2 visits/inspections from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (SYFRS)

 

Current provision of fire detection and safety

•              x1 heat detector/sprinkler in every habitable room

•              x1 smoke detector in the hallway, bedroom and lounge in every flat

•              x1 strobe light in master bedroom

•              x1 Hush button in hallway of each flat

•              Heat detectors/smoke alarms automatically linked to Rothercare

•              Fire call points in communal areas

•              Weekly tests on communal fire alarms and regular cleaning of communal area

 

Other group dwellings

•              x4 Council group dwellings - low rise two or three storey

•              Shaftsbury House, Wellfield Lodge, Dawsons Croft, Hampstead Green

•              Re-inspected with existing FRA and updated

•              Annual inspection programme, monitored via the Chief Executive’s Office

•              Works identified to commence immediately, expected delivery 8 to 12 weeks

•              Any urgent repairs have been resolved

•              Further inspections and assessments taking place with SYFRS

•              Rolling programme of FRA inspections

 

External wall insulation (EWI)

•              1,000 houses benefited from External Wall Insulation.

•              EWI was in isolation is a combustible material

•              BUT when installed in conjunction with the external render coating and the existing wall structure i.e. brick/concrete, it provided a fire barrier

•              Class 0 rating - protects the surfaces from the spread of flames AND limits the amount of heat released from the surface during a fire

•              Requested Fire Service to inspect products and installation methods – 1 storey buildings

•              Building Control had signed off a statement elevating safety concerns re-EWI

 

Budget

Housing Revenue Account budget in place to carry out current FRA works

 

Further actions

•              Review sterile communal area policy

•              Suited key system to all RMBC service doors and risers

•              Evacuation/Stay Put policy to be reviewed

•              Fire Safely training for staff to be refreshed

•              Review location/information of residents with mobility issues

•              Establish a Compliance Working group - issues such as asbestos, fire, gas and electrical safety, legionnaires.

•              Review information given to tenants at sign up with regard to Fire Safety

•              Review previous fires - lessons learned

•              Build on excellent working relations with SYFRS

•              Greater awareness amongst its residents regarding Fire Safety

•              Continue to ensure every Council home had appropriate smoke detection

•              Ensure gas safety compliance remains at 100%

 

Discussion followed the presentation with the following issues raised/highlighted:-

 

·                    Members confirmed that residents at Beeversleigh were more than happy with how the Council had responded swiftly to concerns following the fire at Grenfell Tower, with visits from officers and assurance given.

 

·                    The need for a common sense and balanced approach regarding tenants’ belongings in communal areas.  Officers would attend a future surgery to provide clarity for residents.

 

·                    Concerns regarding mobility scooters left in the wide corridors at Shaftesbury House rather than being taken inside people’s home, thus posing a fire risk – This was recognised as a growing issue necessitating further work and consultation, but it was a fire risk.

 

·                    Fire appliance access at the rear of Beeversleigh due to metal fencing – It was hoped to have more double yellow lines to restrict parked vehicles although SYFRS had not raised the fencing as an issue during their visit.  There was no access issue regarding the normal fire tender, but rather with the extending ladder, so additional hatching would be put in place with a trial run by SYFRS.

Following the review of the stay put policy at Beeversleigh how any messages would be given to residents – The FRA had confirmed it would be a Stay Put policy and letters would go to all residents.

·                    Awareness of their evacuation policy for residents living in the other blocks – This was also a Stay Put policy and this would need to be re-communicated to residents once the FRAs had been completed.  Signage was in place saying leave if there was a fire in your flat or in the communal area.

 

·                    Insulation on blocks of maisonettes – The insulation used was fire resistant.  No checks had been carried out on these yet as the higher risk properties were being considered first but officers were confident that those buildings were safe in terms of fire resistance.

 

·                    Hush buttons allowed people two minutes to turn the alarm off if it had been triggered accidentally, for example by burnt toast, before it went through to Rothercare.

 

·                    Option to turn off strobe lighting for example for people with epilepsy – Officers confirmed that it was red rather than white lighting but they would double check if it could be deactivated for residents who did not have a hearing impairment.

 

·                    Gas installations in stairwells – At Beeversleigh the gas main was slightly away from the building with an external pipe to the sole gas boiler located on the roof and no gas boilers in the individual flats.  There was also an isolation point and in the case of excessive heat in that room the gas was automatically shut off.  The boiler was regularly serviced and maintained and SYFRS knew the location of the isolation point. 

 

·                    Reporting safety concerns – This could be done 24:7 via the repairs line.

 

·                    The availability of £1m through the Fire Authority last year in match funding for social housing providers to fit sprinkler systems.  In addition to the safety benefits it also meant re-build costs were significantly lower in the case of a fire if a building did have a sprinkler system.  Plus it was easier to evacuate an individual flat rather than a whole building.

 

·                    If any FRAs identified the need for a sprinkler system they would be fitted.

 

·                    Fire safety in non-Council buildings where services such as supported housing were delivered or residential care homes – A joint document had been drafted between Housing and Facilities Management on actions to be carried out.  The Senior Leadership Team received weekly updates on progress.  More information could be provided for Members on non-housing related work.

 

·                    SYFRS awareness of location of dry risers, ensuring clear access to them and maintenance of the couplings – This featured in the walk round Beeversleigh with SYFRS checking every cupboard, with the Council having responsibility for maintenance and clear access.

 

·                    Fire Services were well versed in dealing with difficulties at sites and had protocols and procedures in place to deal with problems.

 

·                    Customised alarms for people with particular needs based on sensory deprivation – The adaptations team would assess the needs of an individual before they were housed/rehoused and provide any specialist equipment.

 

·                    For properties above shops, FRAs were being undertaken with appropriate action if fire hazards were identified.

 

·                    Electrical wiring at Beeversleigh and any control over or safety tests on white goods purchased by residents – It was difficult to vet residents’ purchases but there would be further discussion.  A fixed wire test programme was undertaken every five years.  In furnished homes PAT testing took place annually.

 

·                    Underground car parking in terms of fire safety – Hazards would be picked up and removed in the weekly visits to Beeversleigh.  Other officers working in or visiting buildings were expected to report back any concerns.

 

·                    Inspections to wall insulation to ensure its integrity was maintained and advice to tenants on making holes in insulation and danger from sparks – The next tenant newsletter would feature this and officers would be briefed and asked to report any instances of exposure and potential risk.  Tenants should also write in to request permission for any changes to the building.

 

·                    Pleased with structural improvements made to fire safety but also reviews of past fires were important particularly given that vulnerable people were involved in many instances of fires and this should be included within the fire strategy – The Compliance Working Group would reinforce the message that this was about people not just properties.

 

·                    Wedging open fire doors and whether SYFRS could provide signage asking people to refrain from doing this so it was a clear SYFRS request rather than one from RMBC.

 

·                    Wider public communication on fire safety, not only with Council tenants.

 

Officers were thanked for their presentation.