Action in the Event of Fire FIRE SAFETY ADVICE

If you live in a purpose-built block of flats, to reduce the risk of fire spreading the walls, doors and floors are all sturdily built and designed to stop fire and smoke spreading. This is known as compartmentation and each flat becomes its own fire-resistant box. We undertake periodic checks of the compartmentation and implement a risk-based programme of Fire Risk Assessments at all blocks of flats, ranging from annual to 3-yearly. This includes both purpose-built and those flats that have been converted.

In blocks of flats FIVE storeys or more in height, we also inspect all communal fire-resisting doors every three months and use ‘best endeavours’ to inspect all fire-resisting flat front doors annually. If you are at home when the Fire and Safety Assessor calls, please allow them access to check the safety of your front door.

In blocks that are SEVEN storeys or more, we provide additional safety features and enhanced inspection and maintenance regimes. This includes:

• A secure box containing information for the fire and rescue service:
  • The name and address of the person with Accent responsible for fire safety
  • Contact details of others who can provide assistance to firefighters
  • Floor plans showing key fire-fighting equipment, access, fire alarms etc
• Wayfinding signage to allow firefighters to quickly identify the location of flat numbers
• Enhanced inspection and maintenance regime of key fire-fighting equipment

Key fire-fighting equipment includes:

• inlets for dry-rising mains
• inlets for wet-rising mains
• outlets for dry-rising mains
• outlets for wet-rising mains
• smoke control systems
• suppression systems such as sprinklers or water misting systems

We also need to provide to the local fire and rescue service details of the external wall construction. All Accent blocks over seven storeys in height that had older cladding have had this removed and replaced with fire-resisting cladding that conforms to modern standards. Additionally, all of our new-builds conform to this standard, introduced in 2019.

During 2023 an enhanced regime introduced under the Building Safety Act 2022, will also apply to blocks over 18m or seven storeys in height. We will be required to register these buildings with a new Building Safety Regulator and comply with a number of additional requirements specific to building safety risks, particularly customer engagement and complaint handling. Building safety risks are those arising from the spread of fire or structural failure.

If you live in an Independent Living or Extra Care Scheme, to reduce the risk of fire spreading the walls, doors and floors are all sturdily built and designed to stop fire and smoke spreading. This is known as compartmentation and each dwelling becomes its own fire-resistant box. We undertake periodic checks of the compartmentation and undertake yearly Fire Risk Assessments at all Independent Living or Extra Care Schemes.

You will have fire detectors (smoke and/or heat) within your flat linked to the alarm call system and there will also be a separate fire alarm system in the common areas, linked to its own fire panel.

Evacuation procedures in Independent Living and Extra Care Schemes

Your scheme has been designed so that each flat or dwelling is a fire-resisting box, as described above, meaning that only in very exceptional circumstances will a fire in one dwelling affect another. In these circumstances the safest place for you when there is a fire in another flat or dwelling, is for you to stay in your own home. This is known as a ‘Stay Put’ procedure and allows the fire and rescue service to safely fight a fire without having corridors and stairs blocked by other residents evacuating.

If a fire occurs in a common area, such as a lounge or laundry etc, the communal fire alarm will activate and anyone in common areas should evacuate the building to a place of safety, known as the assembly point. Anyone within their own flat or dwelling is safest staying there and for this reason they may not hear the communal fire alarm from within their own home.

 If you discover a fire in your own Independent Living or Extra Care flat or dwelling:

• Do not attempt to tackle the fire
• If the door is closed to the room where the fire is, do not open it
• Tell everyone within your home to leave immediately ensure the door has closed behind you
• Once out of your flat, if it is safe to do so, call 999 and report the fire, giving the address, your flat number and postcode. If it is not safe to do so, leave this until you are outside the building
• Leave the building by the nearest emergency exit route and stairs. Remember, this might not be the way that you normally use
• Do not run or use a lift if one is provided
• Everyone should assemble in a safe place, well away from any danger and where someone can meet the fire and rescue service
• Do not return your flat or dwelling until you have been told it is safe by the Fire Service  

If you suspect a fire somewhere else within the scheme: 

• If you are in your flat and feel safe, stay put.
• If you feel unsafe or are in a common area away from your flat or dwelling, leave the building by the nearest emergency exit route. Remember, this might not be the way that you normally use.
• Do not run or use a lift if one is provided
• Call 999 and report the fire, giving the address and postcode and as much information as you know.
• If you need to be evacuated, you will be notified by the fire and rescue service or others dealing with the incident. This may be via an evacuation alarm if installed
• If you have evacuated your flat, do not re-enter it until told it is safe to do so by the fire service or other person in authority

Only evacuate the building if:

• You are told to do so by the Fire Service or others dealing with the incident. This may be via an evacuation alarm if installed

• You feel unsafe
• Your home is affected by heat or smoke

If you are asked to evacuate, you should: 

• If you need to be evacuated, you will be notified by the fire and rescue service or others dealing with the incident. This may be via an evacuation alarm if installed and you may be escorted out of the building
• If you are not escorted, leave the building by the nearest emergency exit route and stairs. Remember, this might not be the way that you normally use
• Do not run or use a lift if one is provided
• Let the Fire Service know immediately if someone has not been able to leave your flat or dwelling
• Follow further instructions from the fire service or those dealing with the incident
• If you have evacuated your flat, do not re-enter it until told it is safe to do so by the fire service or other person in authority

All fire procedures relevant to your block or scheme are displayed on prominent posters within common areas and will shortly be available on the MyAccount portal.

Scroll down to find the appropriate evacuation procedure for your block or scheme. First select the region in which you live and then find your block, Independent Living or Extra Care Scheme

In late 2018 the Government changed building regulations to ban the use of combustible materials in the external walls of buildings over 18m in height. They introduced a requirement that all materials in new high-rise buildings must achieve an A1 or A2 rating under European classifications.

In our high-rise buildings constructed prior to 2018 we have removed all cladding and replaced it with materials meeting the new standard. Additionally, we have ensured any buildings built after this date have complied with the building regulations.

In our mid-rise blocks lower than 18m in height, we undertake an annual fire risk assessment which includes the risk of fire spread across external walls. We ensure that all our fire risk assessors are highly competent, but assessment of external wall materials can be complex. Where our assessors are in any doubt, we engage a specialist assessor to undertake what is termed a fire risk appraisal of the external wall construction and in accordance with Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 9980.

To a certain extent all closed doors will hold back smoke, flames and heat from a fire should one occur. This will provide you with the time needed to escape from the premises. Fire doors, or more accurately fire-resisting or fire-rated doors, are specifically designed, manufactured, and tested to be able to withstand a fire for a certain amount of time – usually 30 minutes. They should not be confused with fire exit doors, which are the doors designed to allow you to exit from a building and which often are fitted with push bolts or push pads.

Fire doors may be found in common areas, such as across corridors or on staircases, or as flat front doors. They can be recognised as they:

• Will be at least 44mm (1³/₄ inches) thick
• Will have a seal fitted round either the edge of the door or in the frame
• Will be fitted with a self-closing device, unless it is a cupboard door etc
• Will have at least three hinges and a positive latching mechanism
• If it is a cupboard door, will be fitted with a notice advising it be kept locked shut
• If it has any glazing this will be fire resisting

You can help us to keep you safe - never:

• Remove, disengage, or tamper with self-closing devices
• Prop or wedge fire doors open
• Damage fire doors or try to repair or fit them yourself
• Drill or cut into your flat entrance door or alter or repair it yourself
• Allow others, including visitors etc, to damage or tamper with fire doors

Please report any faulty or damaged fire doors or self-closing devices to us immediately: FireandSafetyTeam@AccentGroup.org

If you live in a block that is five storeys or more, we are required by law to check your flat front door. If you are at home when the fire and safety assessor calls, please allow them access to check your door.

There are a number of Accent colleagues available to help you with fire safety. In the first instance contact your Customer Partner, Home Ownership Specialist or Scheme Manager.

For the more technical questions, there is a fire and safety assessor in each region who can assist and can be emailed at: FireandSafetyTeam@AccentGroup.org

As a business, we have a senior executive who acts on behalf of our Chief Executive and has overall accountability as our ‘Responsible Person’ under fire safety legislation and our ‘Accountable Person’ under building safety legislation. This is our Chief Operating Officer Julie Wittich.

To assist Julie in the day-to-day delivery of fire and building safety, we have a Building Safety Manager, Nick Isherwood. If you wish to raise serious concerns with either Nick or Julie, please email: BuildingSafety@AccentGroup.org

Day-to-day and emergency repairs should still always be reported to the Technical Hub by calling 0345 678 0555, option 1. If you wish to speak to our Customer Service Team, it’s option 2.