WPH proposals to improve fire safety within your homes

We have recently issued consultation notices advising residents of our proposals to improve the fire detection and alarm systems within our buildings and homes.

A Resident Action Forum has been arranged at Mary Smith Court on 15 November 2022 at 6pm to explain this further and also give residents the opportunity to ask questions.

The systems within our Older Women’s Housing are slightly different and this document does not relate to those buildings.

Current Fire detection and alarm systems in our general needs homes

In most of your homes, you have a smoke alarm within the hallway of your flat. In addition, there is a fire alarm and detection system within the communal areas.

If a smoke alarm activates within a flat due to a fire, the resident is expected to leave the flat immediately and make their way to the fire exit. On their way, they must set off the main alarm by activating one of the red break glass units. On hearing the main alarm, all other residents must leave the building by the nearest available exit. Once outside the building at the agreed assembly point, they must call the fire brigade.

At present, all our buildings operate what is called a ‘simultaneous evacuation’ procedure. This means that if there is a fire in their flat or they hear the alarms, they must evacuate the building immediately.

We are required under the regulatory Reform (Fire safety) Order 2005, to carry out regular Fire risk Assessments. This we do and the recent FRA’s that we have received have suggested that we upgrade the fire alarm system to better support a simultaneous evacuation procedure.

Our proposals

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the landlord (WPH) must ensure that all residents can be alerted in the event of a fire. With the current arrangement, this is not the case. If a smoke alarm activates within a flat, then initially, only the resident within the flat will be alerted. If they are not in the flat, then the fire can grow until eventually smoke will enter the corridors and set off one of the communal detectors. By this time, there will be smoke in the corridors, making evacuation more difficult for the other residents, particularly if this is a ground floor flat.

Over recent years we have taken measures to assist those residents who had difficulty hearing the alarms.

However, due to the nature of our buildings having many stairs and an ageing population, many of whom are becoming slower to evacuate, they require as early a warning of a potential fire as possible.

To do this, we are proposing that we will provide a heat detector in each kitchen and a smoke detector in the lounge and separate bedroom if there is one.  These will all be interlinked with a detector in the hallway and the main system. If one of the detectors is activated, it will initially, only alert the resident concerned. However, if a second detector is activated within the flat, then all the alarms in the building will sound. This means that all other residents will be alerted early and have as much time as possible to evacuate.

Summary

The new alarm system is designed to provide the maximum amount of time in which to complete a safe evacuation well before escape routes become impassable should a flat fire develop. The proposed new system is a network which will automatically give the earliest warning to any persons in the building of a fire anywhere in the building.

I hope that the above is helpful, but of you have any queries, please email Compliance@womenspioneer.co.uk or call the Repairs team on 0208 749 7112.