Fire safety
In an emergency call 999 (or 112) to report a fire. When the operator answers, give your telephone number and ask for fire. When the Fire and Rescue Service answers, give them your address and the location of the fire. Do not end the call until the fire and rescue service have confirmed the address.
Fire is fast and in less than 30 seconds a small flame could turn into a major house fire, putting you, your family and neighbours at risk.
As your landlord we want to ensure you are aware of the fire safety instructions for your home in line with the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
Fire Action Notices can be found within the communal areas of your building, normally in main entrances, exits, staircases and by lifts. These notices provide specific information on the action to take if a fire occurs in your building and how to report it – please familiarise yourself with the information regarding your building’s specific procedures.
Steps to take if there is a fire
In the event of a fire within your house or flat, you should:
- Keep calm and act quickly, get everyone out as soon as possible.
- Don’t waste time investigating what’s happened or rescuing valuables.
- If there’s smoke, keep low where the air is clearer.
- Before you open a door, check if it’s warm. If it is, don’t open it – fire is on the other side.
- Once you are outside the building, call the fire and rescue service by dialling 999. Never assume anyone else has called 999 – make the call yourself.
In the event of a fire in your flat:
- Alert everyone in your flat and close the door to the room where the fire is located.
- Ensure everyone in the flat leaves as quickly as possible and close the front door to your flat.
- Make your way out of the building, using the common escape route – never use a lift in the event of a fire.
- If your planned escape route is too dangerous because the stairs and hallways are full of smoke, call 999 and stay in the safest room. Keep doors closed and use towels or bedding to block the smoke at the bottom of the door.
- Once you are outside the building, call the fire and rescue service by dialling 999. Never assume anyone else has called 999 – make the call yourself.
In the event of a fire elsewhere in the building:
- The building is designed to contain a fire and allow you to remain in your flat in relative safety if the fire is in another flat or elsewhere in the building
- If your flat is not affected by fire, you will be safe to remain in your flat
- You will be safe to stay in your flat – unless your flat subsequently becomes affected by fire and smoke or you are directed to leave by the fire and rescue service
- If your planned escape route is too dangerous because the stairs and hallways are full of smoke, call 999 and stay in the safest room. Keep doors closed and use towels or bedding to block the smoke at the bottom of the door.
- If your flat becomes affected by fire – or you are in any doubt and it is safe to use the common escape routes – leave the building as quickly as possible. Do not use the lifts. Once you are outside the building, call the fire and rescue service by dialling 999. Never assume anyone else has called 999 – make the call yourself.
IMPORTANT NOTE: where a ‘Stay Safe’ Policy is in place, we would emphasise that if you are in any doubt that it is safe to remain in your flat and, provided it is safe to use the common escape routes, then you should leave the building as quickly as possible.
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Heat and smoke detectors
As your landlord we have a legal duty to ensure at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of your home where there is a room used as living accommodation.
To reduce your chances of being injured or even killed in a fire at home, you should ensure that you have at least one working smoke alarm in your property where there is a room used as living accommodation.
If you do not have a heat/smoke detector, you should contact us on 0300 365 1111. You can also contact Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 731 5958 to arrange a home fire safety check.
Heat detectors may also be installed in your home, usually within your kitchen. You should test your smoke alarm and heat detector weekly to make sure they are working properly, if they do not work, you may need to replace the battery.
Standard battery operated detectors will need batteries replacing every year. If a smoke alarm or heat detector is faulty, you should contact us, so we can repair or replace it. If they start to bleep on a regular basis, you need to replace the battery immediately.
Never disconnect or take the batteries out of a smoke alarm or heat detector. If fitting your own alarm or detector, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Smoke alarms and heat detectors designed specifically for people who are deaf or hard of hearing are available, contact the
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 731 5958 to discuss your options.
If you live in a high-rise building, automatic sprinklers are in place to help prevent fires. Watch our handy video guide on sprinklers.
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Fire doors
In the event of a fire, fire doors help prevent the spread of fire, smoke, and toxic gases from one area to another. This makes them an essential element of fire safety measures.
You should never disconnect door closers. The door closer is a critical fire safety device. Please contact us if you have any problems with door closers in your building.
Do not wedge fire doors open.
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Self-closing fire doors
Self-closing devices are an important feature of your door as they will help keep you and your family safe in the event of a fire.
If a fire occurs inside a flat, the self-closing device will close the door tightly back into the frame. This will prevent any fire spreading from the flat into the communal parts of the building.
It is important that your self-closing device remains in good condition and in working order.
The self-closing device should close your flat entrance door past the door lock into the frame to form a tight seal.
It is also a legal requirement under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 that all flat entrance doors have self-closing devices fitted and are in working order.
You should never tamper with or remove your self-closing device for this reason, if you find any problems with your self-closing device, or have any questions please contact us.
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Fire notices
We want to ensure you are aware of the fire safety instructions for your home in line with the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
This includes information on fire doors: your flat entrance door and communal areas, along with the appropriate evacuation strategy.
Fire Action Notices can be found within the communal areas of your building, normally in main entrances/exits, staircases and by lifts. These notices provide specific information on the action to take if a fire occurs in your building and how to report it – please make yourself familiar with the information regarding your building’s specific procedures.
You play an important part with regards to fire safety in your building and your cooperation in ensuring all fire doors remain effective is vital. Please:
- Keep your flat entrance door and communal fire doors shut when not in use.
- Never tamper with or allow anyone to tamper with self-closing devices.
- If you suspect a self-closing device has been tampered with, or identify damage to any fire doors, please contact us immediately.
Fire safety advice
Be safe. Be alert.
Contact Merseyside Fire & Rescue on 0800 731 5958 to arrange a free Home Fire Safety Check.
You play an important part with regards to fire safety in your building, and your cooperation in ensuring all fire doors remain effective is vital. Please:
- Keep your flat entrance door and communal fire doors shut when not in use.
- Never tamper with or allow anyone to tamper with self-closing devices.
- If you suspect a self-closing device has been tampered with or identify damage to any fire doors, please contact us immediately.
- Take extra care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk
- Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – they can easily catch fire. Also, you should keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob
- Spark devices are safer than matches or lighters to light gas cookers, because they don’t have a naked flame
- Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking
- Invest in a Fire Blanket
- Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire
- Don’t put anything metal in a microwave
- Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily
- If cooking oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool
- Use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer – they can’t overheat
- Never throw water over a chip-pan fire
- Never smoke in bed
- Use a proper ashtray and make sure it cannot tip over and is made of a material that won’t burn
- Never leave a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe unattended
- Take extra care if you smoke when you’re tired, taking prescription drugs or if you have been drinking
- Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach
Unless for medical reasons, you must not use, permit to be used or store compressed gas within your home or any communal areas.
If you are required to use and store compressed gas for medical reasons (i.e. oxygen), you must inform the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service on 0800 731 5958 who will arrange to carry out a home fire safety check.
Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions when using or storing compressed gas.
Storage
Mobility scooters must not be stored in the communal areas, including hallways, stairwells, corridors and landings. This is because mobility scooters introduce a considerable fire loading and sometimes obstruction hazards within these areas that should be maintained as sterile areas at all times.
It is possible for mobility scooters to be stored inside residents own homes but it is the residents responsibility to first ensure that there is sufficient space to store it safely, and should not block any fire escape routes.
We do not currently provide purpose built storage for mobility scooters.
The storage of a mobility scooter external to any communal building must be in such a manner that it does not cause any health and safety issues to any other residents, visitors or threaten the fabric of the building.
Recharging/maintenance
Mobility scooters must not be recharged in the communal areas, they should be recharged safely within the residents own home, and should be charged according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Recharging should only be carried out during day time hours, and not overnight.
Chargers must be switched off or unplugged when not in use.
We do not currently provide charging facilities for mobility scooters.
Residents must ensure that the scooter is serviced and maintained regularly, and this is the responsibility of the scooter owner.
General needs
Mobility scooters will only be allowed where a resident can safely store and charge the scooter without hindering safe escape from the property in the case of fire.
Do you live in a high-rise?
High-rise blocks have no greater risk of fire than other types of homes. However, you should always consider your fire safety and the impact it may have on other residents, should anything happen. Learn more about high-rise fire safety.
Our commitment to the Building Safety Act 2022
In line with the Building Safety Act 2022, we are committed to:
- completing fire risk assessments and recording these in full
- recording fire safety arrangements that demonstrate how fire safety is managed within our organisation
- recording the identity and contact information of those responsible for fire safety within our organisation
- cooperating with all accountable persons to carry out duties imposed
- sharing relevant fire safety information with customers in a format that is easy to understand and access which includes:
- informing customers of any significant risks identified in fire risk assessments
- providing information on fire safety measures for all occupants via customer booklets and leaflets
- the name and address of the Responsible Person, which is One Vision Housing, PO Box 891, Orpington, BR6 1LY
- the identity of any person appointed to assist with making or reviewing the fire risk assessment – Is Tetra Tech
- the identity of any competent person nominated by the Responsible Person to implement firefighting measures – Lee Haugh (Building Safety and Compliance Manager) Sovini Property Services and other contractors and consultants
- strengthening the status of statutory guidance issued under Article 50 of the Fire Safety Order
If you have any concerns over fire safety, please contact us.