Fire safety for housing plus flats

The information on this page is for people who live in Housing Plus buildings throughout South Tyneside:

• East Shields and Whitburn
• West Shields, Boldon and Cleadon
• Riverside
• Jarrow and Boldon
• Hebburn

If you require this information in a different format, please contact your Housing Plus Officer.

You need to know what to do if there's a fire in your flat, or somewhere else in your building.

If you find a fire in your flat

• Leave your flat and close the door behind you.
• Once the alarm has been activated this will sound the Fire Alarm only in your property.
• The fire alarm will contact the Fire and Rescue Services.

If you hear the alarm in your flat

• Do not panic.
• Keep doors and windows closed.
• Go at once to the stairwell and make your way to the designated fire assembly point.
• The rest of the residents in the building will not hear the fire alarm. It will only sound in your flat.
• If you require assistance to evacuate the building, please go to the stairwell until assistance arrives.
• If you require assistance to evacuate your flat, please ensure you have informed your Housing Plus Officer, who will make sure arrangements are in place to do so.

If you hear the alarm in a communal area or if you are told to evaluate

• Go at once to the designated fire assembly point or other area indicated by the Fire Officer in charge.
• Do not stop to collect your belongings.
• Do not use the lifts.
• Do not go back into the building until you are told it is safe.

If you have any queries or require further information regarding these instructions, please contact your Neighbourhood Officer on 0300 123 6633.

Fire doors are specialist doors that are designed and tested to withstand the effects of fire for a specified period.

An effective fire door delays the spread of smoke and flames from one area to another.

The brushes stop the spread of smoke.

Intumescent strips, which can be found either in the door or frame expand when heated creating a seal.

The door itself will withstand fire for a minimum of 30 minutes.

You must make sure:

• Fire doors are kept shut when not in use.
• No changes are made, and the door is not tampered with in any way. This includes removing the closing device, fitting your own locks, letterbox, spyhole, or vents.

If your front door is damaged, report it immediately on 0300 123 6633.

Safety is our top priority.

These measures are in place to keep you safe:

• Evacuation assessments
  We will carry out an assessment to decide what support you might need to help you leave the building in the event of a fire. If you have an injury or illness that limits your ability to move or respond you must tell us immediately.
• Fire risk assessments
  We carry out annual fire risk assessments. These assessments are completed by independent third-party risk assessors.
• Fire safety checks
  We carry out daily fire safety checks. We check the fire alarm panel, check doors are closed, check there's no rubbish and nothing obstructing escape routes. In addition, more evasive checks are carried out on a weekly basis any remedial works identified are logged and completed in a timely manner.
• Fire alarms
  The smoke alarm in your flat is hard-wired and are part of the buildings fire alarm system.
• Fire doors and fire compartmentation
  Fire doors are used throughout our buildings to slow the spread of fire (for about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Our flats are also built to slow the spread of fire from one flat to another (for about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Compartment contains and stops the spread of fire and smoke from one area to another.
• Permit to work
  A strict permit to work procedure is in place in your building. The aim of the permit to work is to ensure the compartmentation is maintained in an effective state to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. This includes satellite TV installations'.
• Emergency lighting systems
  An emergency lighting system is installed throughout your buildings.
• Inspections from the fire service
  Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service carries out random unannounced inspections of all our housing plus buildings.
• Housing Plus Officers
  Housing Plus Officers regularly visit tenants. Tell them if you have any issues or concerns.
• Building and systems maintenance
  All systems installed within your building are maintained and serviced to the relevant legislation. If you would like additional information on the maintenance, servicing, and inspection of your building please contact us for further details.

Report any faults in your housing plus flat, as well as faults or damage in communal areas.

To report a fault call 0300 123 6633 or reports can be made through the South Tyneside Homes website.

Tell us if you want to install satellite TV

• You must tell South Tyneside Homes if you are planning to have satellite TV installed.
• Our flats are built to slow the spread of fire from one flat to another (compartmentation).
• We need to make sure that the installation of satellite TV doesn't effect the fire safety in your flat.

Keep communal doors closed

• Do not prop open any doors in the corridors.
• These are designed to stop fire spreading along the corridor.

Keep corridors, stairs and landings clear

• Do not keep furniture, motorbikes or bicycles, toys or any other large item in these areas. These could cause an obstruction or trip somebody up.

Keep your mobility scooter in an allocated area

• Prior to purchasing a mobility scooter you must contact your Housing Plus Officer.
• If you have a mobility scooter, keep it in an allocated area.
• Do not keep or charge it in communal corridors, or in your flat. This is because they can cause an obstruction and block escape routes.
• Mobility scooters are also powered by batteries that are highly combustible.
• In all our buildings, scooter chargers are required to be PAT tested.
• They must be charged in the allocated area.

Keep your wheelchair in your flat or an allocated area

• If you have a wheelchair, keep it in your flat or an allocated area.
• Do not keep it in communal corridors. They can cause an obstruction and block escape routes.

Do not smoke in communal areas

You can smoke in your flat, or on any balcony that is only used by you or your family.

You cannot smoke in any shared part of the building.

This includes:

• corridors
• stairs
• landings
• balconies
• common rooms
• laundries
• shared kitchens or toilets

It is against the law to smoke in these areas.

Dispose of your rubbish properly

• Do not leave rubbish or unwanted furniture in corridors. This is a fire hazard and could cause an obstruction or injury to someone else.
• Do not throw anything, including waste, from any balcony or window.
• Do not use the refuse chutes for anything other than general household waste. These chutes are designed for use with carrier bags or small bin liners, not large refuse sacks. Please do not try to force a large refuse bag full of waste into a chute as it will block the chute.
• Do not remove the waste chute cover.
• Do not leave the door to the waste chute room open (as these are designed to help prevent the spread of fire).

Keep the building secure

• Please try and keep the building secure.
• Always close the entrance door behind you, and never prop it open.
• Anybody who has official business in the building will have their own key or will carry identification with them.
• Always ask to see identification if somebody asks you to let them into the building.

Park considerately 

• Please park considerately outside the flat, in marked parking areas if possible.
• Do not park in any hatched area, or directly outside any access or fire exit door.
• Make sure that you leave enough space for ambulances and fire engines to get to flats and turn around.

Smoke alarms

It is extremely important that you have a working smoke alarm in your home.

Do not tamper with the smoke detectors in your home.

They are there to give you an early warning in the event of a fire and could save your life.

For further advice on fire safety visit Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.