Fire safety in high rise flats

Safety is our top priority.

These measures are in place to keep you safe:

• Evacuation assessments
  We will carry out an assessment to decide what support you might need to help you leave the building in the event of a fire. If you have an injury or illness that limits your ability to move or respond, you must tell us immediately.
• Fire risk assessments
  We carry out fire risk assessments on an annual basis. An independent third-party accredited fire risk assessor conducts these assessments. If you would like a copy of the fire risk assessment, please contact your Building Safety Officer.
• Fire safety checks every day
  We carry out daily fire safety checks. We check the fire alarm panel, check doors are closed, check there's no rubbish and nothing obstructing escape routes. In addition, more evasive checks are carried out on a weekly basis any remedial works identified are logged and completed in a timely manner.
• Smoke alarms
  The smoke alarm in your flat is hard-wired, as part of a fire alarm system.
• Fire doors and fire compartmentation
  Fire doors are used throughout our buildings to slow the spread of fire (for about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Our flats are also built to slow the spread of fire from one flat to another (for about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Compartment contains and stops the spread of fire and smoke from one area to another.
• Permit to work
  A strict permit to work procedure is in place in your building. The aim of the permit to work is to ensure the compartmentation is maintained in an effective way to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. If you wish to carry out any work to your property, you must get permission from us first. This includes satellite TV installations.
• Emergency lighting systems
  An emergency lighting system is installed throughout your buildings.
• Inspections from the fire service
  Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service carries out random unannounced inspections of all our blocks.
• Dry risers
  Our high-rise flats have dry risers. A dry riser is an empty pipe that can be connected to a pressurised water source by firefighters. These are routinely serviced.
• Building Safety Officer
  Our Building Safety Officer regularly visits, to conduct safety inspections and evacuation assessments. Please tell them if you have any issues or concerns.
• Caretakers
  Caretakers are on site daily. Please tell them if you have any issues or concerns.
• Housing Officers
  Our Housing Officers regularly visit tenants. Please tell them if you have any issues or concerns.
• Building and systems maintenance
  All systems installed within your building are maintained and serviced to the relevant legislation. If you would like additional information on the maintenance, servicing, and inspection of your building, contact us for more details.

Sprinklers

Our high-rise buildings are protected with a sprinkler system.

A sprinkler will only start when the bulb (in the head of the sprinkler) reaches a temperature of around 74 degrees Celsius.

Sprinklers will not start due to smoke alone.

If one sprinkler starts, then others which are close by will also start (but not every sprinkler in the building).

Make sure that you:

• Do not paint a sprinkler head or cover the plate. This can stop the sprinkler head operating at the set temperature and possibly not work at all.
• Do not paint any exposed pipework with oil-based paint. Only water-based paint should be used when painting pipework as this does not react with the material.