National Group Feedback

Presented By Sarah Roberts Welsh Region ChairJuly 17th 2013

Naturvent System – Ash Fire Management

Paul Evans from Naturvent spoke to the national group . This systems is a smoke and heat ventilation system. The benefits of the system include

• Provide for a clearer burn• Low lever carbon monoxide • Oxygen level maintained• Extended escape times• Effective compartmentation

• Showed an impressive video on the control of smoke in a single domestic dwelling. It can be installed in new builds and retro fit. The alarm can then go straight to the fire station. The fit takes around 3 days per property. http://vimeo.com/67982319

• There will be an annual maintenance regime and installation of a 750 x 600 vent size similar to that of a roof hatch at the top of the stairs.

• Ash Fire Safety Management have presented to the Welsh Government re the sprinkler debate and are currently submitting points of concern.

• Further info can be provided by contacting Paul on 0207 458 4199

Mike Leonard (Housing Forum) – High rise fire safety• Mike discussed the fire safety risks in timber frame building. A copy of

Mikes Presentation will be provided to the group via CHC website. • Timber frames are not as environmentally friendly as first thought as in

the UK as we don’t grow enough timber so it’s shipped in. Brick and block is readily available in UK with little lead in time.

• It is no longer a requirement of modern methods of construction housing grants to use timber frame. It has not been a requirement for 3 years ago.

Extensive timber frame fires which are worth looking up include;• Ellerslie Road, Glasgow.• Gershwin Road, Basingstoke, • Summer Road, Peckham all highlighting the speed at which fire spreads.• Worth looking at any internal arrangements for timber frame buildings.

Overview NSHFSG

Regional Groups – 8 Regional Groups

• London and South East• East Anglia• South West• West Midlands• East Midlands• North East &West• Yorkshire and

Humberside• Wales

NSHFSG External Partners

NSHFSG

Fire Sector Federation

Chief Fire Officers

Association

Fire Protection Association

Fire and Rescue

Services

Group Structure

Executive Committee

Working Panels

Regional Groups

National Level Working Panels

Technical

Communications and Marketing

Membership and Demographics

Training and Competence

Communications & Marketing Panel• National Social Housing Website. http://www.shfsg.. Go to

the website and request to join all details will be approved by Andy Frankum who is the West/East Midlands regional chair. So confirmation wont be immediate.

Benefits include• Discussion section – which can include work around the work

streams• Guidance document and useful information.• Contacts of regional chairs and minutes of their meetings. • http://www.shfsg.info/

Training and Competence• Training and Competence group have been working with Skills

for Justice to create the qualification fire safety risk assessment in social housing . The syllabus has been scoped and the group is handing over to OFQUAL and Training providers to produce material to the objectives agreed

• It will meet the NVQ level 3 & 4 requirements, and has a compulsory and then optional elements . It will cover complex and simple buildings. • Level 3 – Risk Assessment• Level 4 – risk assessment and management.

Technical Panel • Technical Panel met in June and there are three work streams

currently being developed at a National Group Level . • • Fire Safety Management• • Competency of in-house fire risk assessors• • Generic templates for risk assessments – High rise,

Flats, conversions. This stream is being led by Heather Swinnerton at City and County of Swansea.

• Looking for Volunteers.

Membership and Social Housing Demographics Panel Membership and Social Housing Demographics Panel ensures the engagement of key external partners and the continued engagement at regional level. Current partners include;• CFOA - Chief Fire Officers Association – Paul Jenkinson attends

this meeting and is our North Wales Fire Service Rep for our regional meeting.

• FSF - Fire Sector Federation - The Federation is a not for profit non-government organisation established to act as a forum for the discussion of fire-related issues of interest to its membership and to evolve as a central source of information on all aspects relating to fire. It brings together representatives from a range of stakeholders which make up the UK Fire Sector.

• LABC request - To assist in the working of the group the LABC (local authority building control) have requested to provide an attendee. Arrangements will be made to include then in on the next meeting which it is hoped to be within the last two weeks of September at a location to be arranged.

• FPA- Fire Protection Association – The Fire Protection Association (FPA) is the UK's national fire safety organisation. Formed in 1946 are involved in in all aspects of fire including research, consultancy, training, membership, publications, risk surveying and auditing.

• Fire and Rescue Services all three of the Welsh Regions are regular attendee at our regional meeting.

•

Evolving Partners

National LABC – Local Authority Building control BWF – British Woodworking FederationNational Sprinkler Federation (BASFA)

Wales• Cymorth Cymru• Tai Pawb • Erosh (Excellence in Supported Housing Organisations)

Welsh Region Working Panels

Mobile Scooters - Policy and Guidance - Jo Burns, Bill Meiklejohn and Darren Whetton.

Supported Living – Adrian Brain, Ailsa Leach and Sue Jones

Stay Put/Evac strategies - Darren Whetton, Andrew Davies and Sarah Roberts

Future Working Groups• Fire Safety Management – Sarah Roberts, Will Pritchard and

Bryan Griffiths• What to do when an Fire Officer Calls – Guidance for dealing

with a fire safety visit – Sarah Roberts , Neil Davies and Luke Mitchel

Fire Safety Updates• Local Government Association’s recent consultation with key housing

partners to establish whether any revisions are necessary to its 2011 guidance document: Fire Safety in Purpose-Built Blocks of Flats. No further update.

• PAS 7: 2013 – Fire Risk Management Systems Specification is now out.• ASFP - Advisory Notice Using Polyurethane Foams. On CHC fire Page • ASFP – Technical Guidance Document TGD17 – code of practice for the

installation and inspection of fire stopping systems in building. May 2013- On CHC fire Page

• Fire Sector Federation who are producing the guidance on Extra Care and supported housing. Draft is in consultation with the group members.

• Better Regulation Delivery Office’s current consultation on revised draft statutory guidance on the Primary Authority Scheme. On CHC fire Page