Fire safety updates following the Grenfell Tower fire

Does Lambeth have high-rise properties?

Yes, we have 122 medium/high-rise blocks (six storeys and above), of which 31 have some form of cladding.

What are we doing about fire safety following Grenfell?

Alongside taking cladding samples as part of the wider government inspections, we have worked closely with the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to reassess all our medium/high-rise residential tower blocks (over six storeys) in terms of fire safety. We have identified high-priority blocks to check current Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs), carry out further intensive Fire Risk Assessments, accelerated required safety work and asked the fire brigade to inspect them. Housing officers also visited all our high-rise blocks (we have 36 blocks of 10 storeys and above), to inspect communal areas and hand deliver two letters along with LFB advice in the weeks following Grenfell.

What do the inspections involve?

Council officers carried out physical inspections the day after the Grenfell fire. The fire safety and housekeeping arrangements (such as keeping communal areas clear) in each block have been checked and reviewed. We have also taken samples of all cladding on medium/high-rise blocks and sent them to central government’s Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for testing. This is now complete.

Do we know if we have any cladding the same as Grenfell’s?

We do not have any cladding on any of our medium/high-rise residential blocks of the same form and construction as that reported to have been used at Grenfell Tower. To bring homes up to the Lambeth Housing Standard (last five years), we have installed ‘Rockwool’ cladding. This is fundamentally different to that assumed to have been installed at Grenfell. Rockwool have issued the following information following Grenfell:

“In the event of a fire, our fireproof insulation slows the spread of the flames. Rockwool stone wool does not produce dangerous toxic smoke and also helps protect the building’s load-bearing structure, protecting lives and investment. By protecting the structural frame of the building from destruction by fire, it is possible to give occupants more time to escape, and to limit the damage to the building. We can assure you that the system installed on the property bears no resemblance to that installed on Grenfell Towers, and meets all current fire and safety legislation.”

Have any residential tower blocks in Lambeth failed any government safety tests on cladding?

Lambeth submitted 31 cladding samples (from council-owned property) to the Government for testing. One sample taken from Southwyck House in Brixton failed the combustibility test. Council officers and LFB carried out a detailed assessment of the block on Friday 30 June 2017 and, following advice, a 24-hour 'walking watch' patrol was put in place to ensure residents' safety. The cladding in question, which is located around stairwells between blocks (rather than on the flats themselves), has been removed. Residents are being kept updated.

In addition to council stock, potentially combustible cladding has been identified on three blocks in the Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sector and two blocks in the private sector. We are in contact with owners of these buildings and requesting mitigation is put in place where necessary.

I have heard there is a problem with certain fire doors failing testing. Is Lambeth affected by this?

Lambeth was one of many councils who submitted a sample of Manse Masterdor doors for testing to the Government. We have received confirmation that testing has advised that the particular type of doors do not consistently meet Fire Safety Performance requirements. Although the risk to public safety is deemed to be low, we will immediately review our fire risk assessment relating to each property which has one of these doors. We will add door replacement into our ongoing programme of fire safety work, which will be carried out in order of priority.

The Government’s independent expert panel has concluded there is a performance issue with these Manse Masterdor fire doors, which do not consistently meet the 30-minute fire resistance standard. Nevertheless, the National Fire Chiefs Council has advised the expert panel the risk to public safety remains low. They point out that fire protection in a building is developed using a range of measures so a failure of one protection measure – such as fire doors – should not significantly change the overall safety of residents. In addition, all doors provide essential protection in a fire if they are properly closed.

We currently have 84 of these fire doors across council housing stock.

How will the council work with housing associations and  tenant management organisations to ensure the safety of their tower blocks?

Housing associations, as landlords in their own right, are under the same obligations as us in terms of the DCLG investigation. This mean they will also be sampling cladding and reviewing procedures. We have asked that we are provided with the same information that they are providing to the DCLG and that we are given copies of all their communications with residents.

In regards to tenant management organisations (TMOs), as the landlord, the council is responsible for major works in TMO–managed housing. So, we have been carrying out inspections of building materials and methods as with our own properties. We will expect TMOs to review their fire safety procedures alongside guidance from LFB, and we will assist them where necessary.

Are all the council’s Fire Risk Assessments up to date?

Yes, all our FRAs are up-to-date. There is an ongoing body of work that has come out of the FRAs which is being progressed, as is normal.

Are our fire safety inspections sufficiently detailed, as Grenfell had apparently passed a recent inspection?

We have recently completed a programme of FRAs covering all our high-rise residential properties. These have been carried out by professional assessors as part of our responsibility under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. These FRAs are reviewed by council officers to monitor the implementation of the recommendations which have been made. We are working closely with LFB, who enforce the relevant regulations.

What is the risk of multiple fatality fires in high-rise buildings?

It is rare in the UK for there to be fires resulting in multiple fatalities. There are many years of established fire safety and building construction standards which have improved safety and lowered the risk of fire resulting in fatalities. It is too early to say what contributed to the tragic events at Grenfell. The LFB Commissioner, Dany Cotton, herself said the fire was "unprecedented, and nothing she had seen in her 29-year service".

Have evacuation arrangements changed?

No. The evacuation plan for individual blocks has not changed following the fire in Grenfell Tower. Advice from the LFB is that people who live in high-rise properties/purpose built flats or maisonettes, aside from having a smoke alarm and taking fire safety precautions, should make sure they know the escape route and what to do if there is a fire inside their home or somewhere else in the building (see below).

What if there is a fire within my flat?

If there is a fire inside your flat or maisonette the advice is to alert all the people in your flat and leave, closing your doors behind you. You should follow the escape plan and if there is lots of smoke, crawl along the floor where the air should be clearer. Always use the stairs rather than the lift and call 999 as soon as you are in a safe place.

What if there is a fire elsewhere in the building?

If there is a fire elsewhere in the building then the structure of the building (walls, floors and doors) are designed to give you a minimum of 30-60 minutes protection, enabling you to remain in your flat whilst the Fire Service extinguish it. If there is a fire elsewhere in your building then you are usually safer to stay in your flat unless the heat or smoke from the fire is affecting you, in which case you can leave via the stairs if safe to do so. If it is not safe to leave and you do remain in your flat, call 999 and tell them which flat you are in. The 'Stay Put' policy is in place for all high-rise blocks in the borough - unless expressly stated otherwise.

How can you still advise people to stay put in a fire?

The advice for residents on what to do in the event of a fire is still based on what is the best practice guidance we have received from the fire service. This advice has not been created by us as the landlord; it is promoted nationally by fire services:

'Our guidance to ‘Stay Put’, unless your flat is being affected by fire or smoke, is based on the fire protection provided in the building and the walls and doors of each flat. This has been the case for many decades and, although fires in flats unfortunately occur throughout the country every day, the fire usually only affects the flat on fire. However, some smoke may enter corridors when the residents leave the flat on fire, or firefighters enter the flat to extinguish the fire. By ‘staying put’ it will reduce the risk of you entering a smoky corridor unnecessarily and potentially being overcome by smoke. It will also allow our firefighters to tackle the fire safely and quickly without being delayed by many residents evacuating down the stairways.'

Why don’t I have a fire escape in my building and only one way out?

Many residential tower blocks are constructed with a single staircase. This design for high-rise buildings dates back to the 1950s, and it is still an accepted method of construction under current Building Regulation guidance.

The principle, in single staircase blocks, is that each individual flat forms a fire-resistant compartment to contain the fire and the communal stair is protected by fire doors to enable it to be used for prolonged periods of time.

In the UK there have been fires in housing blocks over many years, and the principles of containing the fire in a single flat has been proven to be a strategy that is successful in restricting fire spread throughout the building.

What if I don’t have a smoke alarm in my flat?

If you currently live in a high-rise block and don’t have a smoke alarm fitted and are unable to purchase one, please contact us and we will be able to provide you with one, and help you install it if necessary.

• Phone: 020 7926 6000, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
• Email: HMfiresafety@lambeth.gov.uk

If you do have a smoke alarm, test it is working by pressing the test button. If it is not working, try replacing the batteries before replacing it.

Why is there no communal fire alarm in my block? There was a fire alarm in my block, but it was removed, why?

As landlords, we are committed to complying with the advice and guidance provided by the fire authorities in relation to the facilities we have in our buildings. It has been consistent and clear advice from fire authorities that there should NOT be fire alarms fitted in the communal areas of purpose-built blocks of flats. Where a block of flats or a residential building operates a ‘stay put’ policy, having a communal fire alarm system fitted causes confusion and is against the ethos of the ‘stay put’ procedure.

This is not an issue of cost or cost saving; it is to ensure we comply with the best practice guidance provided to us.

Should this guidance changed by government building control bodies or the fire services, we will, of course, follow the advice to ensure we are in line with the best practice guidance in place.

Why are there no fire extinguishers in my block? Why have you taken away the fire extinguishers from my block?

We provide portable fire extinguishers based upon guidance given to national landlords by fire authorities as well as guidance published within relevant fire safety standards. This issue is not one related to costs or cost saving.

The fire extinguisher industry, the fire service, and fire safety guides all provide the same clear message, only those people who have received suitable training should attempt to use portable firefighting equipment. There is no expectation that residents will engage in firefighting activities, and it is neither feasible nor practical to provide training to residents.

Untrained persons in a fire situation should remove themselves to a place of safety and call the emergency services.

Any resident can choose to purchase portable firefighting equipment such as a fire blanket or a multipurpose fire extinguisher for personal use within their home. If you do, we encourage you to carefully read the instructions and guidance provided, never to take risks in a fire situation and evacuate the building as soon as possible.

Why have you never carried out a fire drill at my building?

We work closely with the fire service to ensure our approach to fire safety management is in line with what is current best practice guidance. This advice is that it is not practical or feasible to undertake fire evacuation drills in purpose-built residential blocks. The approach to be adopted is that in conjunction with the fire service residents are provided with information and advice on fire safety and what to do in the event of a fire in their home.

How can I be sure that I’m safe in my flat?

As landlords, we have in place a process of block inspections that are carried out by a professional fire risk assessment personnel annually. All of these inspections are up to date. They advise us on any issues to be addressed in the block to maintain the best possible level of fire safety. We also work closely with the fire service to ensure our approach and advice to residents is in line with what is deemed best practice for residential housing blocks. If the council or the fire service believed you were not safe in your flat, you would be instructed to leave and assisted to do so urgently.

Are residents with disabilities disadvantaged when it comes to escape routes in the event of a fire?

This depends on the type of disability. Housing Management is reviewing the profile of vulnerable residents for consideration of additional support that may be required, especially within medium to high-rise blocks.

What is the evacuation policy in sheltered accommodation?

All sheltered schemes in Lambeth have two evacuation policies applied:

1. A simultaneous or full evacuation will need to be followed in all communal areas across the scheme, including but not limited to, the day room, computer room, community hall, laundry, office, corridors, stores and so on. A fire action notice will be displayed in these areas.
2. A Stay Put policy applies if residents are in their flats, which are designed to provide some protection from fire and smoke. If there is a fire in the building and their flat is not affected they are advised to stay in the flat. If heat or smoke is affecting them, they feel threatened by the fire or smoke, or they are instructed to leave by the LFB, then they should leave the flat, closing the door, and use the nearest fire escape route to the exit the building.

Why haven’t you fitted sprinklers in tower blocks?

As landlords, we are guided by Building Regulations and advice from LFB and the Government on what facilities are required to be fitted within our blocks. If the general advice is changed, that the safety of residents living in high-rise blocks in Lambeth would be improved by retrofitting sprinklers, then we will fit them.

Do you take fire safety seriously?

The safety of our residents is and has always been of paramount importance to us. The fire at Grenfell Tower has shocked and deeply saddened all of us, as it has the whole country. We equally are seeking clarity and information from official sources as to how such a truly terrible fire could have occurred.

As with other local authorities and housing organisations, we are using all available lines of communication to seek answers. We are equally concerned that these answers cannot be provided at this time.

We have long-standing working partnerships with the fire service and have always engaged proactively. This ensures we are managing fire safety in line with the guidance provided by the professional fire industry and fire services.

Older housing blocks do not always have the same level of fire safety as would newly built properties. This doesn’t mean they are unsafe, and in recognition of the specialist nature of assessing any risks to our residents, we have employed professional fire risk consultants to carry out FRAs on all of our properties over 10 floors.

We will ensure compliance with any recommendations that are made by the fire service following their investigation into the fire at Grenfell Tower.

We fully recognise the devastating effect a fire can have and working to achieve a safe environment for residents is a priority for us. We would encourage all residents to assist in keeping themselves and their blocks safe by following all fire safety advice being provided and reporting any issues within your building.

How do fire regulations in new buildings differ from older refurbished blocks? Are sprinkler systems/smoke alarms mandatory?

New constructions are required to have sprinkler systems, as per Building and Fire Regulations. Grenfell was an old building and the installation of sprinklers was not a statutory requirement.

Is there any way to communicate a change in instructions, for example, from stay to leave (as is mandatory in the USA)?

Should there be a change in instructions from the LFB this will be communicated with residents, by various channels and means of escape guidance reviewed and replaced in blocks.

Is the borough's Emergency Plan up-to-date and appropriate?

The Emergency Plan is reviewed regularly and post any major incident, with testing on possible incidents. Lessons from Grenfell will inform current updates.

How were procedures strengthened following the Lakanal House inquiry?

The Coroner made suggestions following the Lakanal House Fire in 2009. These called for an update of ‘Part B Building Regulations 2010’ relating to fire safety advice to residents in the event of a fire, that the Government should encourage landlords to fit sprinklers in high-rise blocks, clearer advice as to how FRAs should be carried out, and which areas of a tower block they should cover. To date, the Government has provided no update to building regulations, nor a date as to when this will be published.

What about private residential tower blocks?

We have written to all private owners of residential tower blocks in the borough, outlining their responsibilities regarding fire safety and requesting information about up-to-date FRAs. These buildings are ultimately the responsibility of the building owner and any residents with concerns should contact their landlord directly.

What about timber framed balconies?

Following the Barking Balcony Fire in June 2019, the housing fire team conducted a review of Lambeth housing stock. Although we have one scheme with limited balcony timbering on the Leys Estate, Brixton Road, this is compliant with current building and fire safety standards. This estate is also graded as ‘Tolerable fire risk’ in the independent FRA. 

However, as a precaution we remind residents of the summer fire safety tips:

• Never use a barbecue indoors or on a balcony.
• Never use a barbecue in a space with no ventilation as there is a real risk of creating dangerous carbon monoxide gas. Position your barbecue on level ground and keep it well away from anything that may catch fire, such as sheds, fences, trees, cars and buildings.
• Keep children, pets and garden games away from the barbecue.
• Have a bucket of water or sand, fire blanket or appropriate fire extinguisher nearby for emergency use.
• Balconies must not be used for storage of combustible materials.
• Balconies must not be installed with any feature which might promote fire spread between premises, for example, plastic, rattan screens or any other combustible feature.
• All escape routes must be kept clear, free from obstruction and storage of combustibles.
• Balconies should not be used as smoking areas in accordance with the council’s no smoking policy.
• Keep crystals, glass ornaments and items such as dressing table mirrors out of direct sunlight.
• Smoke alarms provide the earliest possible warning to a fire and we would urge people to have working smoke alarms fitted on all levels of their home and to test them regularly.
• Ensure smokers’ material or barbecue material is fully extinguished to prevent grass fires during hot and dry weather.
• Read our fire safety in your home guidance.