Fire Safety in the home
As your landlord, we are responsible for carrying out regular fire safety checks in the communal areas of buildings. As a resident you should familiarise yourself with the ‘Fire Evacuation’ plans in your building.
You can also help to reduce the risk of fire in your home by following some simple steps:
- Keep all exits from your home clear.
- Ensure you know where any keys to windows and doors are and keep them within easy reach.
- Know where your Fire Exits are and how to get to them, even if visibility is poor because of smoke.
- Keep communal areas, corridors and stairways clear of obstructions eg: prams, bikes or other large items as they could stop people evacuating the building.
- Don’t leave lit candles unattended.
- Don’t smoke in bed.
- Close all internal doors at night before you go to bed. This will help to prevent the spread of fire.
- Ensure that all Fire Doors are closed. NEVER PROP OPEN A FIRE DOOR.*
- Don’t overload electrical sockets or use cheap chargers.
- Switch off any electrical equipment at the wall if you can. Items left on standby could cause a fire.
You can check how safe your property is with this simple tool – (Click link) LFB Home Fire Safety Checker
*Learn more about Fire Doors, what they do to stop the spread of fire, and why you should NEVER prop a Fire Door open.
https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/fire-doors/
E-Bikes/Scooters
Electric Bikes & Scooters are more popular today than ever as a convenient mode of transport. However, the Lithium-Ion batteries that power them have been the cause of a large number of Fires as a result of faulty batteries or non adherence to correct charging procedure. The London Fire Brigade have said that when these types of batteries or chargers fail, the resulting fires can spread rapidly and out of control.
If you have an E-Bike or Scooter please follow these guidelines to help you minimise any risk of fire:
- Residents must never store e-bikes or e-scooters in communal areas.
- Never block your escape route with anything, including bikes and scooters. Store them somewhere away from a main through route.
- Always use the correct charger for the product and buy an official one from a reputable seller.
- Batteries can get warm during their use and it is advisable to allow them to cool down before attempting to re-charge as they could be more susceptible to failure.
- Batteries should always be charged on hard flat surfaces where heat can disappear.
- Batteries can also pose a risk if they have been damaged, so try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried as spares, as this can increase the chance of damage to cells.
- You should always make sure you unplug your charger once it’s finished charging. Always follow manufacturers’ instructions when charging and we would advise not to leave it unattended or while people are asleep.
- Ensure smoke alarms are fitted in areas where e-bikes or e-scooters are being charged and make sure they are tested regularly.
You can access more information & Safety Advice on E-scooters & E-bikes by clicking on the links below:
Tower Hamlets Council – Chargesafe (Click)
London Fire & Rescue (Click)
Tower Hamlets Council – Dispose Safe
Tower Hamlets is a borough of flats and high-rise homes, where many residents use communal bins and shared refuse areas. One incorrectly disposed battery in a shared bin can put an entire block, your residents and waste crews at risk.
Dispose Safe aims to make it clear that:
- Batteries, vapes and electricals should never go in household or communal bins
- Residents should use battery recycling points or local recycling centres
- Simple changes in behaviour can prevent serious fires and protect people and property
If you would like more information on how you can dispose of batteries safely please visit the Dispose Safe page of the Tower Hamlets Council website by clicking the link below.
Dispose Safe – Tower Hamlets Website
Building Safety
PRHA is legally required to provide homes that meet core Decent Homes Standard and other Health & Safety legislation. As a resident you have the right to a home that is fit for human habitation. We want you to be safe in your home so we carry out regular maintenance and inspections of:
Lifts
Gas Boilers
Building Structures
Pest Control
Legionella.
If you have any concerns around safety in your home or building please contact the Property Services Team on 0207 920 7300 who will investigate the issue for you.
(If any maintenance operative or Property Services needs access to your home for the purposes of investigation, please help us to help you by allowing them access. They will have ID which they will be happy to show you on request)
