There are a number of key services that are essential for safely and effectively managing the communal areas of a residential block. Whether it is in relation to broadband, gas, electric or any other service, planned maintenance is a highly important feature for Block Management. This is why it is so important to consider the health and safety risks that may arise, even with the regular maintenance and services that are carried out in your block.
In this article, we discuss the risks of asbestos exposure for contractors such as electricians, as well as the importance of being aware of and maintaining fire compartmentation in your building. We finish by discussing how you can ensure the contractors you use are safe!
Asbestos
Prior to its ban in 1999, Asbestos – in particular Chrysotile or ‘White Asbestos’ – was extensively used as a building product as well as in certain electrical equipment; such as flash guards. This was due to its highly capableheat resistance and fire protection properties. Though it has been banned for many years, any property built before the year 2000 has the possibility of containing Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) and, unless proven not to contain any, must have an Asbestos Management Survey and Asbestos Register; as well as subsequent regular re-inspections if Asbestos is detected and not removed.
In everyday life, Asbestos Containing Materials are unlikely to cause any harm in the communal areas of a residential block unless disturbed. However, one of the risks that ACMs can present is a risk to workers carrying out any repair or general maintenance on the building. Workers at potential risk include electricians and other building trades and this is because they are most likely to disturb or encounter Asbestos.
If you are a Landlord, RMC Director or Property Manager with a level of responsibility for health and safety in a block built prior to 2000, then you must ensure that any contractors used, such as Electricians, Lift Engineers and Fire Alarm Engineers have access to the sites Asbestos Surveys and the Register. A competent contractor will ask to see this register before any work commences on the site.
Fire compartmentation
Compartmentation is a strategy used to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in a building, by subdividing that building into manageable areas of risk and therefore protecting the escape routes. In a residential block, this is achieved by making each flat a fire-resisting enclosure.
Alterations and improvements to blocks of flats can be detrimental to fire safety if careful thought is not given to the possible impact they might have on fire compartmentation. For example, a contractor installing new gas supplies to flats may breach compartmentation by creating the necessary ventilation and another contractor may unknowingly breach compartmentation when drilling to install a broadband service.
Breaches in compartmentation may not always be so noticeable on your site inspections, however, Health, Safety and Fire Risk Assessments offer the opportunity for areas such as riser cupboards and plant rooms to be assessed and will advise on any breaches. If you have any suspicions or evidence suggesting that there may be a breach of compartmentation within your block, this should be investigated as soon as possible by a competent Fire Risk Assessor or your local fire authority.
Health and Safety Considerations for Services: Electrical Safety
It is no secret that a large amount of fire risk is related to electrical instillations and appliances. In order to help reduce the risk of electrical fires in residential buildings, any portable electrical appliances that might be present in the common parts and other areas under the control of the responsible person should be subject to inspection and test on a regular basis. Furthermore, Landlords should also regularly inspect and test appliances within their flats. Periodic inspection and testing of electrical installations should be undertaken by suitably competent persons (such as a third-party certificated electrical contractor) and records should be kept; for example, an Electrical Installation Condition Report.
As well as being a fire risk, electrical appliances and electric boxes may pose a health and safety risk. For example, a Health Safety and Fire Risk Assessor when conducting an Assessment of your building may raise concerns on issues such as, electrical safety matting needing to be installed, by a competent contractor, within electrical intake cupboards. They may also note that electric shock posters need to be installed where appropriate in the communal areas in the event of a possible injury.
What can I do to ensure services and maintenance are carried out safely?
In order to reduce risks, you should select competent contractors to carry out remedial works, and one of the ways to ensure competence is through contractor vetting. You can choose to vet a contractor yourself, for example by asking about their working practices, whether they have had suitable health and safety training and the correct insurances are in place. Alternatively, you can select a contractor that has already been vetted by a third-party organisation; such as, Safe4site.
In addition to this, you should ensure that the Health, Safety and Fire Risk Assessment for the building is sufficient and up-to-date. If the building was built before the year 2000, an Asbestos Management Survey is required along with subsequent regular re-inspections if Asbestos is detected and not removed. Contractors will need to have access to the Asbestos Register so that they are aware of any potential Asbestos in the building; this is highly important to ensure that Asbestos is not disturbed unknowingly.
For further advice, please contact the team on 01376 572936.
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