In 2017, the awful events of the Grenfell Tower Fire, highlighted just how devastating fires can be in high-rise residential buildings.

With the aim of preventing such a tragedy from ever happening again, we have put together this guide for residents, building management, and landlords to fire safety in tower blocks.

Key Fire Safety Tips

Here are 7 of the key fire safety measures that should be implemented in residential tower blocks:

1. Ensure a fire risk assessment has been conducted

A fire risk assessment is a review of a building which assesses the fire risks and makes recommendations for dealing with them.

Every single block of flats is legally required to appoint a ‘Responsible Person’, whose job it is to carry out this assessment and is responsible for fire safety.

This will normally be either the landlord or building manager.

2. Make residents aware of policies

As a building manager, having a risk assessment and carefully considered fire safety policy in place is all very good but means little if residents are not aware of them.

The ‘responsible person’, in charge of fire safety should communicate fire safety policies widely to make sure that if an emergency does occur, everyone in the building knows how to respond in the most appropriate manner.

This should be done through individual letters and emails to residents as well as ‘Fire Action Notices’ being placed in common areas.

3. Install suitable fire doors

Fire doors are an essential containment measure, preventing the rapid spread of fire and reducing the damage that is done before the fire service can arrive.

Fire doors should be of an appropriate standard, maintained properly, and kept closed at all times.

They should also be marked as ‘Fire door, keep shut’ signs to remind residents.

4. Fit smoke detectors

Smoke detectors should be fitted in each and every apartment in a high-rise building, with one in the kitchen, hallway, and outside each bedroom.

Smoke and fire detectors should also be installed in all communal areas

5. Maintain Dry Risers

Dry risers are empty pipes that are fitted in many high-rise buildings, used by the fire service to pump water between multiple levels in the event of a fire.

Failing to maintain dry risers could seriously impact the ability of the fire service to deal with a fire effectively and have devastating consequences as a result.

6. Fire Doors

As a high-rise building resident, you are responsible for ensuring that your front door meets the current standard for fire doors.

If you live in an older block, it may be that the door was fitted when fire safety regulations were less stringent and may require an upgrade.

All apartment doors must be fitted with an automatic door closer that ensures the door will close no matter what angle it is released at.

Fire doors should fully close against door stops, and there should be no gaps around the edge of the unit.

If your door lacks any of the features mentioned above, it is time for an upgrade to help maximise your home’s fire safety.

7. Evacuation

If a fire does break out in your building, it is vital that escape routes are clear and safe for use by residents.

For this reason, action should be taken to ensure that:

• No objects are left lying around in communal areas that may prove an obstruction during evacuation.
• Fire doors are closed at all times.
• Bicycles, scooters, and prams are not stored in a communal area without the approval of building management.
• All rubbish is put in the relevant bin, and bags are not left lying around.
• Your own front door is fitted with a working self-closing device.

Waking Watch

V360 offers Waking Watch services in residential high-rise buildings which have been identified as having significant fire safety issues.

Our team of expert fire wardens will patrol your site 24 hours a day using their highly trained eyes to spot any signs of a fire, or potential fire hazard, and raising the alarm if required.

If an emergency situation does occur, our waking watch officers will alert all residents to the situation, oversee the safe evacuation of the property, and liaise with the emergency services once they arrive.

Our waking watch services are tailored specifically to the needs of each client, and we conduct regular ongoing training to ensure that we remain industry leaders in this field.

With an industry leading common fire alarm system at our disposal as well, which can easily convert into a standard fire alarm once building regulations have been met, we are the perfect choice for short-, mid-, and long-term fire safety in high-rise properties.