Grenfell Tower
Following the tragic fire at the Grenfell Tower block in London, we would like to reassure our tenants regarding the safety systems we have in place across our properties.
Two Rivers Housing does not have any blocks of flats considered to be high-rise flats, similar to Grenfell Tower. We also do not own any flats that have had aluminium composite (ACM) cladding fitted to them.
Even though we do not have any high-rise blocks, we will be carefully monitoring progress in the Grenfell Tower fire investigation and we will look at all advice and recommendations this produces.
We are also reviewing our own fire safety processes to see if any improvements are required in light of the incident and recommendations that may come from the investigation.
We can also reassure you regarding the safety measures we have in place to help reduce or eliminate the risk of fire in our houses or flats.
All our properties are fitted with smoke alarms. As a minimum, there will be one on each level of your home. Some homes may have additional smoke detectors fitted.
The fire detection and warning systems in our blocks of flats vary due to the height, design and layout of the blocks and stairs. Some are fitted with smoke venting systems, to help keep escape routes clear of smoke in a fire. In our higher level flat blocks there will also be emergency lighting which will activate in a fire, even if the power is cut, to help illuminate the escape route.
All our flats and houses were designed to fully comply with the requirements of the building regulations when they were built and we monitor and maintain these systems on a regular basis to ensure they are functional. These systems are checked by a specialist contractor at least once a year to ensure fire safety compliance, and also on a regular basis by our staff, as part of our health and safety checks.
We carry out regular inspections on our stairwells to ensure no combustible materials are left in them and that no items are being stored which may cause an obstruction to tenants, visitors or the fire and rescue service, in the event of a fire or other emergency. These precautions are there to help prevent a fire from starting in the first place and aid escape should a fire start.
Many household fires are caused by smoking materials, cooking incidents, overloaded sockets, candles and electrical items such as fridges, dishwashers and tumble driers. The majority are preventable. See our Health and Safety Handbook for some advice on the steps you can take to help you stay safe in your home.
You may also like to register your household appliances on www.registermyappliance.org.uk to receive automatic alerts if your appliance joins the list of those being recalled by the manufacturer.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service offers free home safety checks/’Safe and Well’ visits if you would like further guidance on how to keep you and your family safe. Call them on 0800 180 4140 to book an appointment.
