National Group
Feedback
Presented By Sarah Roberts Welsh Region Chair
July 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
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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.
Regional Groups – 8 Regional Groups
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London and South East
East Anglia
South West
West Midlands
East Midlands
North East &West
Yorkshire and
Humberside
• Wales
NSHFSG External Partners
Fire Sector
Federation
Fire and
Rescue
Services
NSHFSG
Fire
Protection
Association
Chief Fire
Officers
Association
Group Structure
Executive
Committee
Regional
Groups
Working
Panels
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 .
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Fire Safety Management
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Competency of in-house fire risk assessors
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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.
• 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.
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Evolving Partners
National
LABC – Local Authority Building control
BWF – British Woodworking Federation
National 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