We have a legal duty to make sure a fire risk assessment is carried out to identify and remove any fire risks and hazards, or to reduce these as far as possible.
Communal Berneslai Homes properties have an up to date fire risk assessment completed by an independent qualified assessor. These are reviewed regularly, and you can request a copy of one for your building.
Here are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of fire in your home.
General
In the kitchen
Electrical appliances and heaters
* If you, or someone you know is struggling with hoarding, support is available. See below.
Test your alarms every week
Don't overload your sockets
Take extra care in the kitchen
Avoid clutter and blocked access
We hope you'll never experience a fire in your home, but it's good to be prepared in the event of an emergency.
Think about how you would get out of the property in the event of a fire. Your escape plan is usually your normal way out of the house, so keep those exits clear. Make sure everyone else in your household knows what the escape plan is.
Keep doors and windows clear where everyone can get to them.
Keep fire doors closed as they help to slow down the spread of the fire and give you extra time to get out.
As your landlord, we’re required to install a CO alarm in each room containing a fossil fuel burning appliance (excluding gas cookers) and a smoke alarm on each floor of a property. All Berneslai Homes properties are fitted with carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms.
It’s important that you test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure that they’re working properly.
The easiest way to test an alarm is to press the button on it so that the alarm goes off. If it makes a noise and sounds like an alarm, then you know it’s working correctly.
Test your alarms at least once a month (we recommend weekly) to make sure they’re working. If you don’t think they’re working properly, then please give us a call on 01226 787878 so we can replace them for you.
Hoarding can significantly increase the chances of having a fire which can lead to serious injuries and damage to property.
Hoarding can make it much harder to escape a fire, where fire exits are blocked by large amounts of clutter and can also increase the speed at which fire spreads.
Berneslai Homes can carry out a person-centred fire risk assessment in your home, which will identify any risks and provide fire safety and best practice advice to minimise a fire occurring in your home.
These are carried out for tenants considered to be at higher risk should a fire break out in their home, including tenants with a disability or physical impairment, who are hearing impaired, hoarding, heavy smokers, and so on.
If you feel you would benefit from this, you can call 01226 787878 and ask to speak with the Fire Safety Officer or email firesafety@berneslaihomes.co.uk
You can also contact your Neighbourhood Officer or South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue directly.
Like all electrical items, mobility scooters, e-bikes and e-scooters with a lithium battery can cause a fire risk. If the batteries become damaged or begin to fail, they can start fires that spread quickly out of control.
You can reduce the risk of a lithium battery catching fire by:
When charging lithium batteries:
Before a failing lithium battery catches fire, there are often a few warning signs. If you see any of these signs you'll need to take immediate action to stay safe and reduce the risk of fire:
What you should do if your lithium battery is a fire risk
If your battery shows any of these signs of failing, immediately turn off the device and unplug it from the power source.
Call the device manufacturer or retailer for further instructions. If the device starts smoking or catches fire, raise the alarm, get out, stay out and call 999 immediately.
Disposing of a lithium battery
Lithium batteries shouldn’t be placed in your wheelie bin or communal bin due to the fire risk they pose. Instead you should dispose of them safely at your local household waste recycling centres.
In our independent living schemes
We have specific guidance for residents living in our independent living schemes:
10th floor, Gateway Plaza, off Sackville St, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2RD
Berneslai Homes Limited is a company controlled by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, number 4548803