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DS: Risk Update; Fire Safety

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Hello all,

There is a huge amount that could go in to this update following the Grenfell Tower block fire, but I'm not sure whether it would be helpful to you at the moment as there are a lot of politics, media take, proportional and disproportionate actions taking place and things need to settle. I'll only remark to contrast the debate now on Health and Safety when the things we try to risk assess and avoid then happen and pick up in summary some key points below:

Residential Accommodation

Although we know some of our customers have residential accommodation in their portfolio we don't know of any of the scale of the Tower. However, that is not to say that even if cladding isn't an issue, that other lessons arising can't be taken on board as part of our rolling review support of the fire risk assessments. Those lessons may also impact on current and future specification too, in a number of ways.

For work and home action please check:

The cause of the fire on Wednesday, June 14 has been traced to a Hotpoint fridge freezer, make number FF175BP.

This product, which was manufactured between 2006 and 2009, has not been subject to product recalls and this testing will establish whether any further action is required.

Consumers who believe they may own a Hotpoint fridge freezer model number FF175BP (white) or FF175BG (graphite) should call Whirlpool Corporation’s freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826 or visit www.hotpointservice.co.uk/fridgefreezer to register their details for further updates.

To confirm if your appliance is affected, please check your model and serial number, usually located on a sticker behind the salad container, Or look for the model data label below on your appliance.

Government Instructions to Councils and Academy Trusts

The government has instructed councils and academy trusts to carry out fire safety checks on school buildings to identify any that may need further investigation in light of the Grenfell Tower blaze.

There have since been reports that schools could be fitted with the same cladding blamed for the fire.

“The government is taking the potential impact from the tragic Grenfell Tower fire very seriously,” a spokesperson said.

“Building owners across the public sector estate are being contacted to ensure any risks are managed and dealt with appropriately and promptly.”

He added that as part of this, the Department for Education (DfE) is contacting “all bodies responsible for safety in schools” and instructing them to carry out checks to identify any buildings “which may require further investigation”.

We are already in touch with BCC and awaiting a response following the outcome report on the Edinburgh school end wall collapse. An email is now with them on this issue too and the need for a measured and proportional response. You'll be updated when we have a reply.

Fire Safety Rules

Draft new fire safety rules propose to take away the “expectation” that all new schools are fitted with fire-preventing sprinklers.

Unions are also concerned about planned changes to fire compartmentalisation requirements.
Dividing buildings into smaller sections is a way of reducing fire risks, and compartment walls and floors made from flame-resistant materials can help stop fire from spreading.

The education department has proposed increasing the permitted size of compartmentalised areas in all schools by 150 per cent, and removing the requirement for each floor to be compartmentalised in schools which don’t have sprinklers.

The revised guidance also removed sections from the original policy discouraging the use of combustible materials for building cladding."

Update

Government cost-cutting plans to relax fire safety standards in new schools have been dropped, it is being reported.

A suggestion that "school buildings do not need to be sprinkler protected to achieve a reasonable standard of safety" is reportedly to be stripped out of the revised draft guidance.

A DfE spokesman said: "There will be no change to the fire safety laws for schools or our determination to protect children's safety.

"It has always been the case, and remains the case, that where the risk assessment required for any new building recommends sprinklers are installed to keep children safe, they must be fitted.

"Alongside the rest of government, we will take forward any findings from the public inquiry into theGrenfell Tower fire.

Teaching and headteacher unions last week wrote to education secretary Justine Greening asking for urgent clarity on the fire safety plans, saying the proposals showed "a total disregard for the health and safety of children and staff".

Hope that helps.

Bill

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