03 - rhp fire risk management strategy approved october 2011- rev7_2 (1)

7/30/2019 03 - RHP Fire Risk Management Strategy Approved October 2011- Rev7_2 (1)

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FIRE RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY DOCUMENT

Richmond Housing Partnership


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Revision Date Description Author Reviewed

1 06/06/11Draft Fire Risk Management

StrategyBen Bradford Jonathan Compton


StrategyBen Bradford Thomas Bradford


StrategyBen Bradford Ben Whitaker


StrategyBen Bradford Jonathan Compton


StrategyBen Bradford Ben Whitaker

6 25/07/11

Draft Fire Risk Management

Strategy

Jonathan

Compton & BenBradford

Sarah Thomas, Anna Benbow,

Adedayo Adegbite, Andrew

Holloway, Caroline Hand &

Bernie OConnor

7 03/08/11Approved Fire Risk Management

Strategy

Jonathan

Compton & Ben

Bradford

Approved at H&S Committee

26/11/2011

Authors Ben BradfordBSc Hons MSc MBA MRICS MIFireE MBEng


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CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 3

2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................. 4

3 COMMUNICATION.............................................................................................................. 5

4 FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT......................................................................................................... 7

5 FIRE SAFETY INFORMATION & TRAINING ................................................................................... 106 WORK CONTROL.............................................................................................................. 10

7 MAINTENANCE AND TESTING................................................................................................ 10

8 EMERGENCY PLANNING...................................................................................................... 13

9 SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................ 16

10 Appendix A ...................................................................................................................... 1


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1 INTRODUCTIONThis document sets out RHPs strategic approach to fire risk management having considered the

following factors:

1) Roles and Responsibilities2) Communication3) Fire Risk Assessment4) Fire Safety Training5) Work Control6) Maintenance & Testing7) Emergency PlanningThere is a programme of performance monitoring, active monitoring, review and audit in place to

ensure that this policy and strategy is complied with internally. The review considers the suitability

of this strategy for complying with the RRFSO. There is also a regular programme of internal audit

that covers fire risk management among other aspects of health and safety management.

1.1 ScopeThis document applies to all RHPs property which, whether owned, leased or otherwise, is under

the direct or indirect control of RHP, with the exception of sites under construction. RHP

acknowledges that the construction phase of certain types of building, e.g. timber framed, poses a

i ifi tl hi h fi i k I i t h RHP h di t ibilit f th


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2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESThe ultimate responsibility for the adequacy of RHPs fire risk management efforts rests with the

Responsible Person as defined by legislation. In the case of RHP the Responsible Person is the

Chief Executive (CE) and the Board.

The Executive Management Team are responsible for ensuring sufficient resources are in place to

implement this fire Risk Management Strategy and meet RHPs policy objectives. The Executive

Director of Corporate Services has the delegated responsibility for ensuring this strategy is properly

implemented and complied with. The Head of Health, Safety and Environment is employed as the

competent person for RHP and is responsible for ensuring this document is legally compliant and fit

for purpose.

2.1 Fire Safety PolicyThis fire safety policy has been approved by The CE and Board of Richmond Housing Partnership

Group (RHP) who are the responsible person(s) for ensuring that general fire precautions are taken

to prevent fires within non domestic premises, or parts thereof, which, whether owned, leased or

otherwise, are under the direct or indirect control of RHP. By doing so RHP seeks to maintain a

satisfactory standard of fire safety for the benefit of its employees, contractors, customers and

others working within or visiting these premises and to satisfy the legal requirements of all relevant

fire safety legislation inclusive of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Housing Act 2004

d Th Fi S f t (E l C biliti ) (E l d) R l ti 2010


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2.2 AuthorityThe CE and Board of RHP will ensure that employees in positions of responsibility for fire safety

(duty holders) have the necessary authority, budget and resources to implement and maintain the

fire risk management strategy insofar as their responsibilities extend.

See section 9 for a full summary of responsibilities by role.

3 COMMUNICATIONCommunications procedures include:

Internal means of being alerted to a fire or alarm activation;

Internal communication between management, and between management and employees

relating to this strategy;

Messages to employees on fire safety, including emergency procedures;

Messages to customers on fire safety, including emergency procedures;

Communication with the fire authority on our management strategy and in the event of fire.

3.1 Internal CommunicationThere are three main types of internal communication listed above that relate to fire.


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The Head of HS&E communicates the monthly figures of fire alarm activations to theRetirement Housing Manager (RHM) and the Building Services Manager (BSM). Additionally,

Scheme Managers record specific information on RIVO for all alarm activations. This

information includes the date and time, the particular detector/s that activated, the flat

number and the cause of the activation. During the month the RHM, with the assistance of the

BSM where necessary, investigates each activation and determines the cause of the alarm. It

will generally be one of three things:

A fault with the system or the environment, such as poor ventilation; Inappropriate detectors within dwellings, such as sensitive smoke detectors in kitchens; A particular tenant that is causing a high number of alarm activations.The RHM and the BSM will decide on the best cause of action to reduce unwanted fire alarm

activations.

The Head of HS&E will report on the figures and actions plans at the H&S Committee and to

the LFB. The Head of HS&E will also report figures in the monthly EMT update.

Communication relating to this strategy and on general fire safetyAll duty holders should be

aware of their responsibilities for fire risk management that are contained within this strategy and

all policy and procedures related to it, e.g. site specific emergency plans. These responsibilities can

be found in the Summary of Responsibilities section of this document.

Means of communicating responsibilities and general fire safety messages are:


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In line with government and industry guidance, residents in our purpose built blocks of flats andRetirement Housing (inc Extra Care) are advised to stay put in the event of fire elsewhere in the

block/building. Exceptions to this are if residents are in a communal area when they become aware

of fire of if their own home is affected by smoke or fire. Tenants are also advised to evacuate if

instructed by trained RHP Fore Wardens or the Fire Brigade.

3.3 External Communication LFEPARHP maintains a good relationship with the Fire Brigade. The Head of HS&E holds monthly meetingswith the LFB to discuss progress around our fire risk management and for us to consult with them

on strategy proposals and our approach to general fire precautions.

4 FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTAt RHP fire risk assessment is an ongoing process and this principle is underlined in Article 9(3) of

the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The recommendations within the assessments are

reviewed internally and, where agreed, implemented as appropriate. The fire risk assessment itself

is kept under regular review.

4.1 Type 1 Fire Risk AssessmentsThe Head of HS&E is responsible for the implementation, maintenance, monitoring and review of

the fire risk assessment programme. The Head of HS&E is also responsible for ensuring the on-going

t f fi i k


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The timescales for FRA review have been discussed and agreed with London Fire Brigade.

The recommendations from fire risk assessments are entered onto RIVO Safeguard (RIVO), RHPs

health and safety database. Actions are allocated according to the relevant department responsible

for the works arising from the recommendation. The H&S Committee monitor the completion of

actions and figures are also reported on a monthly scorecard.

Further assessment of blocksIf the risk assessor has reason to believe the compartmentation of a

block may have been compromised by un-authorised alterations by tenants he will recommend a

further survey. The Head of Asset Management will arrange for a surveyor to attend in the

company of the risk assessor and reports will be fed-back in the usual way.

4.2 Completion of related actions/works arising from FRAsIn order to achieve our aim of reducing the risk from fire and smoke RHP understands the

importance of successful completion of works arising from fire risk assessment.

Each action on RIVO is given a review date by the H&S Administrator. For Asset Management

actions the initial review date is based upon the schedule in Appendix 1 of this document. RHP aims

to meet these timescales wherever possible and to provide detailed justification when it is not.

Housing Management issues, which are largely of a smaller significance, are given a review date

based upon risk and ease of completion. These initial review dates are subject to change depending

on the nature of the action and the risk presented by the related circumstances. Changes will be

d b th H d f HS&E d t th H&S C itt h if th i


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4.5 Communal clearanceIn order to protect the means of escape in all our blocks of flats RHP operate a communal clearance

policy. Communal clearance is regularly reviewed as part of active monitoring.

Our communal area clearance procedure provides a clear and consistent basis for removing items

from communal areas. In general, customers do not have the right to store or leave anything in the

common areas of the building, including drying areas and on communal balconies. Where we are

made aware of items in communal areas we will firstly label the items to let customers know they

are going to be removed. A minimum of 24 hours after labelling we will remove the item(s) to

secure storage where it may be kept for up to 12 weeks.

For more information please see the communal clearance policy.

4.6 Monitoring ArrangementsFire risk assessments

It is important to ensure that fire risk assessments completed on our behalf

are of a suitable and sufficient nature and good quality. Therefore we have a service level

agreement written into the contract with BB7, our FRA supplier. To ensure this service level is met

consistently the FRA reports are checked internally by BB7 before being forwarded to RHP. Further

to this the HS&E team undertake a programme of monthly active monitoring which includes a full

review of a number of fire risk assessments and completed actions.

False alarmsAs mentioned earlier, the Head of HS&E communicates the monthly figures of fire


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5 FIRE SAFETY INFORMATION & TRAININGRHPs employees are given general and site specific fire safety information in a number of ways

including:

Fire action notices

Employee H&S bulletins

Articles in the internal newsletter Inspire

The Health and Safety Committee

Team meeting briefs

H&S induction (BSC level 1)

All Retirement Housing employees and managers, and office based Fire Wardens, are provided with

fire safety awareness training, and site specific emergency plan training, once per year.

Senior managers are kept up-to-date with legislation and best practice at the H&S Committeeincluding an annual EMT fire risk brief. Membership of the RHP Health and Safety Committee is

arranged in order that all duty holders under this strategy, or their Directors, are present. Senior

managers and duty holders are expected to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities

under this strategy. The Head of HS&E is responsible for ensuring this strategy is available and

easily accessible.

RHPs Learning and Development team record fire safety training records in order to clearly

d t t li ith A ti l 19 21 d 41 f th RRFSO


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7.1 Maintenance of fire safety informationRHP will ensure that when taking ownership of a new building the developer hands over fire safety

information, including operation and maintenance manuals, relating to the design and construction

of the building and the services, fittings and equipment.

7.2 Emergency plan drillsEmergency drills are not necessary in purpose built blocks of flats where a stay put strategy is inplace.

In offices and Retirement Housing schemes, emergency procedures will be tested twice per year.

Performance of the emergency drill will be reviewed and any improvements found necessary to the

management of the evacuation will be reflected in formal amendments to the written instructions.

The Facilities Manager will organise emergency drills at 8WR. The Head of Retirement Housing is

responsible for ensuring emergency drills are completed twice per year at Retirement Housing

schemes and at Dean Road Extra Care.

7.3 Electrical TestingThe Building Services Manager (BSM) is responsible for ensuring all fixed electrical systems within

the common parts of residential buildings are tested as part of a 5 year test and inspection

Th d t f i ti h ll b di l d th i l t i l i t k l Th BSM


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The Director of Property Services is responsible for ensuring that the Asset Management Team

fulfils all its duties. Day to day responsibilities are delegated to various teams whose managers are

deemed as duty holders under this strategy.

Asset Management will ensure that all fire safety systems, installations and equipment are properly

installed and maintained and are regularly serviced according to manufacturers instructions.

Records of the inspections and any reports provided by the competent person are kept centrally.

Asset Management have considered Relevant British Standards when deciding on servicing andmaintenance frequencies. Fire safety systems, installations and equipment include:

Fire and smoke detection and early warning systems (including door release systems);

Automated ventilation;

Other ventilation such as permanent vents;

Emergency lighting;

Dry riser installations;Fire fighting equipment (fire extinguishers);

Fire resisting doors (including self-closing devices).

The Asset Management Team are responsible for ensuring that all relevant domestic and

communal gas appliances, fittings and pipe work are tested for safety on an annual basis. This does

not include appliances within leasehold dwellings. Gas appliances are tested by Gas Safe registered

engineers. RHP employ the services of Corgi for the purpose of independent quality monitoring of

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7.8 Routine Inspection Estate ServicesEstate Services must ensure that:

Waste material of a flammable nature is consigned to rubbish bins or skips these bins and

skips should be kept in designated areas away from buildings in order to minimise the effects

of arson. RHP acknowledges taht this may not always be possible due to the nature of some

estates.Bin rooms are kept locked shut unless they need to be left open for customers living on the

ground floor to dispose of rubbish in which case this factor will be risk assessed.

Bins and skips are emptied at sufficiently frequent intervals to ensure that the need for

overflow storage is minimised.

Flammable waste materials are not permitted to accumulate within the communal areas of

RHP properties.

Escape routes are kept clear, fire doors are kept closed and that fire exit doors are kept

unlocked while the building(s) is occupied.

8 EMERGENCY PLANNINGThe Customer Liaison Team must take ownership of all fire events that occur in or on RHP premises

excluding permanent offices. Offices come under the responsibility of the Facilities manager.


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Role Team TasksAll employees All teams All employees must immediately inform the CSC

when they are made aware of a fire that has

occurred. Employees should provide as much

information as possible when reporting a fire to the

CSC.

All employees must ensure that any external

communication regarding the fire is passed to the

CLO and to the HS&E Team.

All employees must ensure that all teams are made

immediately aware of any serious threats to safety

relating to the fire event. This includes the threat of

violence or aggression from tenants.

Customer

Service Agent

Customer Service

Centre

When the CSC receive notification of a fire event they

must;

Immediately send a QLx to the relevant CLO Team

Leader who must then ensure it is passed to a CLO

for resolution.

Immediately inform all the above teams of the fire

event via one email. All available information about

the fire should be included in the email.

Customer

Liaison Officer

Housing Services

Team

When the CLO receives notification of a fire they must:

Immediately complete a QLx report (where they are

d f h fi b h h


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Head of Repairs Repairs Team When the Head of Repairs receives notification of a firethey must:

Ensure the site is made safe within 24 hours.

Receive the report from the repairs operatives and

liaise with the Planned Maintenance Manager and

the CLO.

Liaise with the Assistant Financial Accountant to co-

ordinate the insurance response.

Work with the insurers to complete remedial works

as necessary.

Continue to liaise with the CLO until all remedial

works are completed.

Financial

accountant

Finance

Department

Liaise with the Head of Repairs to co-ordinate the

insurance response.

Instruct our insurers and loss adjuster accordingly

based on the information provided by the AssetManagement Team.

Head of HS&E HS&E Team The HS&E Team will ensure that,

A report is completed on RIVO and updated

accordingly.

The Fire Brigade are aware of the incident.

The HS&E Team visit the site with the Fire Officer

where necessary.

Wh h l h fi i k


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Fires and false alarms in the following areas are to be reported on RIVO as Fire Events:

Offices & workplaces;

Retirement Housing and Extra Care schemes;

Communal areas of general needs blocks of flats.

Fires which occur within domestic parts of general needs premises must not be reported on RIVO

unless the fire spreads to the common areas. Details of these fires must be reported to the HS&E

team by email.

8.2 Contingency PlanningRHPs contingency planning is proactive and takes into account a wide range of possible

emergencies and incidents. These include planning for logistical issues such as the provision of

shelter, communications, transport, the weather, time of day, time of week, time of year (holidays

etc) and traffic related issues, as well as serious power failures or floods.

The Head of ICT is responsible for the RHP business continuity plan.

9 SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES9 1 d


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The Head of HS&E is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of the firerisk assessment programme for all relevant RHP premises.

9.3 The Director of Customer Services and the Director of Property ServicesThe Directors of Customer Services and Property Services are responsible for the day-to-day

implementation of this fire risk management strategy within their respective business areas.

They are responsible for managing their budgets and resources in such a way as to make enoughavailable to carry out their responsibilities.

They are responsible for ensuring that managers with delegated responsibilities are competent to

carry them out, are fully aware of them and are provided with such information, training and

supervision as is necessary.

9.4 ManagersManagers must:

Ensure that all new employees attend the required induction training.

Ensure that new employees recruited or transferred to their areas are aware of local fire

action and emergency procedures.

Ensure that employees within their teams with delegated responsibilities are competent to

carry them out, are fully aware of them and are provided with such information, training and

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1

Richmond Housing Partnership 26/11/2011Strategic Fire Risk Management Rev 7.2 JC2

10 Appendix A10.1 Serious and imminent danger and immediate concerns

If the fire risk assessor comes across an instance of serious and imminent danger, or has immediate concerns relating to the fire safety

of a block, he will immediately call the Head of Health, Safety & Environment (HS&E). The Head of HS&E will take immediate action to

instigate the appropriate response and ensure that the situation is made safe within 4 hours.

10.2 Asset Management works schedule for fire risk assessmentThe table below identifies completion times for works to address significant hazards that present a particular risk relating to:

Building compartmentation

Means of escape

Fire alarms and early warning

The works in the table relate to building structure and installations, i.e. work that Asset Management is responsible for.

Area affected by hazard Nature of hazard Risk evaluation Timescale Exceptions

Building compartmentation Communal fire doors

including front doors

to flats

A relevant door that is in

bad condition and offering

no significant fire

resistance.

Any other relevant door

that is identified as High

Risk and the finding is

agreed by the HS&E Teamand Asset Management

Within 10 weeks. These

doors will be prioritised

and put to the front for the

fire door replacement

programme

The fire door programme prioritises

doors within enclosed corridors over

doors that open on balconies to fresh

air. Doors that open onto a balcony

with one escape route are prioritised

over those that have alternative

means of escape.


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2


A relevant door that is

identified as not FD30S but

providing nominal 20

minute fire resistance

These will be added to the

existing fire door

replacement programme

As per fire door programme. The fire

door programme initiated in 2011 is

planned to replace c700 doors over a

2 year period.

Breaches of fire

compartmentation

Significant holes between

fire compartments, e.g.

brick or larger

Holes in non-visible areas,

e.g. above a false ceiling: 2

months

Holes in visible areas, e.g.

communal corridors: 3

months

Holes in non-visible areas can be fixed

more quickly because they do not

need to have an aesthetically pleasing

finish.

It is assumed that if a hole in

compartmentation walls are of a size

to be of immediate concern, we will

have picked this up on estate

inspections. Also a hole of this size will

be flagged up by the assessor as an

immediate concern and dealt with as

an emergency.

Air bricks that breach

compartmentation of flats

or communal areas9 months as part of a

roiling programme of low

risk works

Means of escape Travel distances Internal travel distances

from a potential fire to a

place of relative or ultimate

safety have been assessed

as too long

9 months for the provision

of additional internal fire

door sets

These works will only be agreed where

the HS&E Team and Asset

Management have reviewed the

recommendation and surrounding

circumstances. Instances where these

recommendations may not be

implemented are where, e.g. thebuilding still complies with legislation

from the time of the build, or, the

addition of more doors could create

further hazards to occupants.


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Ventillation Escape routes, lobbies or

staircases are not suitably

ventilated

Buildings up to 5 storeys: 5

months

Buildings with 6 or more

storeys: 9 months

Fire detection and alarms Fire detection and

alarms

Repairs to existing systems Works ordered

immediately on receipt of

information relating to a

fault

New systems or additional

upgrades to existing

6 months where action is

agreed

All other Asset

Management actions

Fire risk general All other actions that are

high or medium priority will

be addressed as part of arolling 6 month

programme.

Our contractor will address

the actions and complete

them in as short atimescale as is reasonable

in the circumstances but

within 6 months

This timescale will be regularly

reviewed along with available

resources and budgets. Low risk itemswill be allowed to move onto the next

2-year cycle. Any works that can be

completed as quick-wins will be

addressed even if they are low risk.

03 - rhp fire risk management strategy approved october 2011- rev7_2 (1)

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