The Grenfell Towers tragedy was a horrific loss of life, however, one of the worst parts of it was the fact that it could have been prevented. Fire safety is a key part of block management and is one that needs to be thought about and planned for, keeping all the residents safe in their homes.
Whilst it goes without saying that the lives lost at Grenfell is something that should never have happened, one thing to come from it, is that there is a need for more focus to be put on fire safety. Bringing it to the forefront of the minds of councils, property management companies and the residents themselves.
With this in mind, we wanted to take a look at how property management services in London and in the rest of the UK are looking at and tackling the issue of fire safety and how it can be used to protect the future lives of anyone living in homes and blocks of flats too.
Looking at fire evacuation
One key part of fire safety has to be the fire evacuation process. Of course, every residential block should have this already in place, but it might be time to just take another look at it. It is vital that all residents (and any visitors that they may have) are aware of the process and where they should go in an emergency situation. Having this information will stop any panic or confusion that could make a fire emergency situation even worse.
A good way to test this is to turn fire drills. Sure, they can be frustrating once you know that it is not a real emergency, but they do allow for you to test the procedures that you have in place and highlight what is expected of residents too.
Be aware of responsibility
Another area that needs to be addressed is that of responsibility. There are some aspects of residential property management that are down to the residents to take charge of, however, it is vital to remember that property management companies are, in the most part, responsible for overseeing this.
This means that if there is an identified issue or risk, or even if one is suspected, that you take charge of the situation and ensure that things are changed and that everyone is safe.
Make maintenance a priority in your residential block
It is also incredibly important that fire maintenance becomes a priority within the regular checks completed in the residential block. There must be weekly testing of the fire alarm systems within the building as well as monthly testing of any emergency lighting too. This needs to be carried out by someone who has been trained in the process.
Other checks that need to be carried out are on pieces of fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and fire alarm systems. These do need to be carried out by an expert, such as a professional third party UKAS accredited fire safety services provider.
The main thing to remember is that you need to make sure that you think about fire safety carefully in your building. We all have the responsibility to keep one another safe and focus on how to protect the important lives of those who live in the building.
Are your properties compliant with fire safety legislations, requirements and recommendations? Lime Property Management aims to deliver a service that provides value to its clients and tenants alike. If you are in need of block management for your properties, then why not get in contact with Lime today on 0208 125 4071.