Fire safety FAQs

What fire safety guidance is available?

If you live in a block, fire safety guidance is available in the common areas such as in corridors and stairways.

Fire Service guidance supports a ‘stay put’ measure in many of our properties - in other words, stay in your home in the event of a fire elsewhere in the block - as it helps prevent risk of injury (e.g. smoke inhalation) and allows the fire brigade to enter the building unobstructed to tackle the source of the fire. The fire brigade can then swiftly get to the flat concerned and tackle and contain the fire, or decide if they need to evacuate any other residents.

Any building that has this strategy will have been built to withstand a fire for a certain period. If a fire were to break out in an individual flat the fire would be contained within that area as long as the front door onto the stairway/fire escape is closed. This allows the residents in the affected flat to escape and any other resident affected by smoke to leave safely.

Read more advice from London Fire Brigade.

Can we have fire extinguishers?

We don’t provide fire extinguishers in our properties where we don’t have a member of the Origin team on site. We made this decision based on London Fire Brigade advice and Statutory Guidance.  The guidance explains that fire extinguishers are for small fires, should only be used by people who are trained and if a fire was to break out in a flat the occupant may rush out to get the extinguisher to fight the fire rather than keeping their door shut to help prevent the fire spreading.

What has Origin been doing?

·         We have invested £millions in fire protection over the last few years and plan to spend at least £1m a year on fire safety measures for the next three years.

·         We are continuing to ensure there is a regular programme of Fire Risk Assessments for each of our blocks.

·         Over the last 18 months we have taken further steps to ensure safety by completing full expert assessments on our properties including looking at measures which prevent the spread of smoke and fire and deciding if a stay put policy is appropriate.

·         As part of this work we have been upgrading doors and closers, where required, to ensure that fire is contained and escape routes are protected.

·         We have provided homes to residents affected by the Chalcot Estate evacuation.

·         Offered Kensington and Chelsea TMO staff resources if they need them.
 

What can you do?

Get familiar with the fire safety guidance in your block, even if you are not in a block it’s worth reading the points below.

Check the smoke alarm in your home regularly. The Fire Service suggest weekly on ‘Test It Tuesday’. For more info visit: http://www.londonfire.gov.uk/SmokeAlarms.asp

 Let us know if you have any concerns by contacting our Customer Resolution Team. You can do this by filling out the form below or by emailing enquiries@originhousing.org.uk 

 Invest in a fire blanket.

Check to see if your appliances have been recalled as they may be potentially dangerous.

Finally, please take a minute to make sure there is no damage to your front door. It’s a fire door so it needs to be in good condition to keep your household safe. Now is a good time to  check your door and door closer and if you notice any damage let us know by emailing enquiries@originhousing.org.uk