FIRE SAFETY
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Fire Safety is clearly very important. Not only preventing fires in the first place but also dealing with them should they occur. As a flat owner it is essential you read and understand these, you take steps to reduce risk of fire starting in your flat and you know what to do in the event of one happening.
Clearly many owners let their flats so it is your responsibility to ensure your tenants are provided with this information, they fully understand this information and they take as much care as you would if you were living there. Please provide them with copies of the Fire Risk Assessment and Health and Safety Rules and Fire Safety Advice in this document of what to do in the event of a fire. It is the flat owners responsibility to ensure tenants understand all the rules if English is not their first language. You must give these rules to existing tenants annually and you must also provide these to all new tenants at the start of the tenancy. If any agent manages the property you must ensure they provide this information.
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Any breaches of fire rules will be treated very seriously and will lead to additional costs to the owner of the flat regardless of whether it is owner occupied or tenanted. Copies of these rules can also be found in the Notes to Accounts Information issued to owners annually along with their accounts statements.
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Please note that residents and visitors use the communal areas at their own risk. Any property liability issues must be directed to the property insurance provider and not to Flatcare.
ELECTRICAL FIRES
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If you let your flat, please ensure your tenants are aware of this document along with the other fire information provided. This should be provided annually and at every tenant change. It is the flat owners responsibility to ensure tenants understand all the rules if English is not their first language.
In The UK there are 12000 fires a year started due to faulty electrical goods, and these can be fatal. With the Grenfell fire what is often forgotten is that the original fire was caused by a faulty fridge.
The following information may assist you in reducing the risk to you and your neighbours:
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If appliances in your flat start making strange noises or emitting smells you should investigate and if you can see which appliance is causing this switch it off at the wall or at the circuit breaker and get an electrician in to check this.
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If you use a tumble dryer do not leave unattended when in use and make sure lint is removed as per the manufacturers servicing instructions.
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Do not overload extension leads, especially do not have extension leads plugged into other extension leads. If you are using an extension lead on a temporary basis, ensure it is fully unravelled which will help avoid overheating
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Unplug / switch off at socket items when not in use, especially if you are away from your flat
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Be very careful where you purchase electrical goods from. Fires in lithium batteries, in particular, can happen very quickly and these items can also explode. Batteries/chargers purchased from third parties on internet sites can be dangerous. Use trusted retailers. Recently a rising number of E Scooters have been exploding whilst on charge. You must not leave these unattended and never charge these in the communal areas.
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Some chargers can get hot when in use so place these on a heat resistant board/plate and not on the carpet for example.
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On a regular basis when an item is not in use carry out visual checks of the wiring to the plug to check for any areas that are split and if you can see the enclosed blue/brown/yellow wiring within the outer sleeve you should not use the item and get it repaired
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When having work done in your flat check your electrician has the correct qualification for the type of work being done
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Do not dry clothes over or near an electrical heater.
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Where you let your flat you must adhere to the law on getting the electrics checked by an independent electrician currently every five years and provide a copy of this to the tenant. You should also consider PAT testing if you let with electrical appliances. Make sure tenants know where the isolating fuse board is.
FIRE SAFETY ADVICE FOR RESIDENTS
ALL OWNERS MUST ENSURE TENANTS ARE AWARE OF THESE - It it is the flat owners responsibility to ensure tenants understand all the rules if English is not their first language.
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The easiest way to alert your family to a fire is with a working smoke alarm.
A smoke alarm can provide an early warning of a fire and allow you to make your escape –but only if it is working. You are more than twice as likely to die in a fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm.
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Test your smoke alarms regularly.
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Never disconnect or take the batteries out of your smoke alarm.
You can prevent fire from happening by taking a few simple steps:
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Do not leave cooking unattended and avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone with cooking on the hob.
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Be especially vigilant when cooking with oil. Do not overfill chip pans and NEVER throw water on a chip pan fire. Ideally stop cooking with a deep pan of oil, use an electric fryer
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Make sure cigarettes are put out properly, use a proper ashtray and do not smoke in bed. NEVER smoke in the communal hallway.
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Do not overload electrical sockets and never plug anything in a socket in the communal hallway
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Turn off appliances at the socket when not in use.
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Keep matches and lighters out of reach and sight of children.
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Make sure candles are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire – like curtains. Children should not be left alone with lit candles.
Keep safe and plan your escape.
Fit smoke alarms in your entrance hallway, fit one in your lounge and fit a heat alarm in your kitchen.
Your flat is in a building designed to be fire-resisting. A fire should not normally spread from one flat to another, so that you need not leave your home if there is a fire elsewhere in the block. That said, if in doubt, get out.
Always leave if your flat is affected by smoke or heat or if told to by the fire service.
Your stairway is designed to be safe for escape throughout the course of a fire. Always use the stairway to descend to ground level if escaping.
Do Not Leave Your Belongings Or Rubbish In Corridors/ Stairway.
This could affect you and your neighbours if there was a fire. Items left may be removed without notice nor compensation
If you are in a corridor or stairway and you notice a fire, leave the building immediately and, if safe to do so, alert other residents in the immediate vicinity on your way out (knock on their doors
Do Not Put Yourself At Risk. Do Not Return To Your Flat Until It Is Safe To Do So
Remember:
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Test your smoke alarm once a week.
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Keep the exit route from your flat clear so you can escape in an emergency. Leave nothing in the hallways at anytime
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Close doors at night, especially the doors to the lounge and kitchen to prevent fire spreading.
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Plan your escape NOW. Be prepared and don’t wait until it happens.
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Information supplied from document published by Local Government Association and added to and distributed by Flatcare Management Ltd, the managing agent for the communal areas of this block. Residents use the communal areas at their own risk. Flatcare is not responsible or liable for the safety of residents and visitors at anytime.​
EMERGENCY FIRE PROCEDURES
IF FIRE BREAKS OUT IN YOUR FLAT
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Inform others present and if possible close doors & windows to contain the fire. Exit the apartment.
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DO NOT attempt to try to put out the fire.
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Occupants of the flat where the fire started should make their way in an orderly fashion, via the nearest emergency escape route and carry out a form of "roll call" to ensure that everybody is accounted for. Where disabled or elderly persons are in the flat, they may need help to escape.
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DO NOT use any lifts. DO NOT use a balcony, unless it is a designated escape route from the building.
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Dial 999 and ask for the Fire Service.
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Give the operator the telephone number you are calling from and state clearly that a fire exists. Give your address to the operator. DO NOT end your call until the address has been repeated by the Fire Service.
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Once safely out DO NOT re-enter the property.
IF FIRE BREAKS OUT IN THE COMMUNAL AREAS
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DO NOT attempt to try to put out the fire.
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Dial 999 and ask for the Fire Service. Give the operator the telephone number you are calling from and state clearly that a fire exists. Give your address to the operator.
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DO NOT end your call until the address has been repeated by the Fire Service.
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Stay in your flat, unless it is affected by smoke or heat, or if the Fire Services have instructed you to evacuate. If possible, close all doors and windows to limit the spread of fire.
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If the Fire Services have instructed you to evacuate leave the building via the nearest emergency escape route.
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DO NOT use any lifts. DO NOT use a balcony unless it is a designated escape route from the building.
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Once safely out DO NOT re-enter the building
IF YOU ARE CUT OFF BY FIRE
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Try to remain calm. Close the door nearest to the fire and use towels, sheets or other suitable material to block any gaps around the door. This will help stop smoke from entering the room.
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If possible, go to the window, open it and shout for help. If the room becomes smoke filled, go down to floor level because it will be easier to breathe as the smoke will rise upwards.
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If you are in immediate danger from fire and are not higher than the first floor of a building, it may be possible to drop to the ground without injury provided you get out of the window feet first and lower yourself to the full extent of your arms before dropping. Soft furnishings dropped first from the window will break your fall and limit the danger of injury.
8 STEPS TO SAFETY
All residents should follow the ‘8 Steps to Safety’ Fire Plan and information on preventing fires. Please ensure that this fire plan is read carefully and the advice on preventing fires is followed. Please also make sure that you, your family, and visitors know what to do in the event of a fire. Residents must ensure that they are familiar with this Fire Escape Plan and that they know all of the Escape Routes. Residents should ensure their family /visitors are familiar with the plan and know what to do in the event of fire.
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You must ensure that corridors leading to your front door are kept clear at all times. The best escape route is down the shared stairway and out of the back or front entrance/exit doors.
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Allocate a room in your flat that you and your family can go to in the event of a fire. The room most suitable is the one furthest from your front door, that is near a window and that has a phone (if possible). Here you will be able to keep you and your family safe if there is a fire and you will be able to telephone for help.
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Always keep your property address near your phone, this will help your children and relatives call for help and give the fire brigade accurate information if you are not able to do so.
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Always keep a good quality battery torch in your home, and in a place, you can get to it. Make sure that your family know where it is. (This will help you and your family to leave the building safely during the night if the electricity has been cut off or any emergency lighting fails).
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If you or a member of your family has a sight or hearing problem or has trouble moving around, make sure that you keep all disability aids (such as walking sticks and wheelchairs) in a place where they can easily get them. When you call the fire brigade, please let them know if you or a member of your family has a sight or hearing problem or has trouble moving around.
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If the fire is in your flat and is out of control telephone the fire brigade immediately and make sure that you and your family leave the flat immediately. If possible close all the inside and outside doors and leave the building using the escape routes. (Where possible warn occupants of neighbouring buildings). Once you have safely left the building wait in a safe area. Wait for the fire brigade to arrive and tell them what caused the fire and where it is. This will save valuable time, save lives, and limit the damage.
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If the fire is in the flat below stay in your flat. Keep your front door closed and phone the fire brigade on 999. When the fire brigade arrives, they will tell you what to do.
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If the fire is in a communal area on your floor stay in your flat and take everyone to the allocated safest room in your home. Close all outside and inside doors and windows. Block the bottom of the doors with wet clothing to stop smoke getting in the safe room, and if there is a lot of smoke, crawl along the floor where the air will be cleaner. Telephone 999. When the fire brigade arrives, they will tell you what to do.