Fire safety
Our Fire Safety Policy
- Applies to everyone living or working in Council buildings, including tenants, leaseholders, visitors, staff, and contractors
- Follows all relevant fire safety laws and regulations
- Outlines the Council’s responsibilities as a landlord and our approach to identifying, managing, and reducing the risks associated with fire in Council-owned homes
Managing fire safety
The Council is responsible for making sure your home is safe by checking and ensuring that communal areas meet fire safety standards. These checks focus on communal areas and do not include the interiors of individual flats, houses, or bungalows.
Fire safety is assessed in the following ways:
- We will ensure that all new buildings meet fire safety regulations
- Before buying in existing building, we’ll carry out a fire risk assessment and ensure that it meets fire safety rules
- We regularly complete fire risk assessments. This is a review of a building to assess its fire risk and make recommendations to make it safer
- We regularly assess fire risk in blocks of flats with communal areas to find and fix any problems
Maintenance of fire safety equipment
We regularly check and maintain fire safety equipment in Council-owned properties to ensure it works correctly and will keep you safe
- Flat entrance fire doors are checked every 12 months by a fire safety surveyor, to identify and address repairs where required
- Communal fire doors are checked every 12 months if the building is below 11m, or every 3 months if the building is 11m+
- Sprinklers in communal areas are checked weekly, and serviced every 6 months
- Emergency escape lighting and fire alarm systems in communal areas in high-risk blocks are tested weekly, and serviced every 6 months
- Any extinguishers/fire blankets on-site are serviced every 12 months
- Dry risers are serviced/inspected every 6 months on an alternating basis
- Bin chute in high rise blocks serviced every 6 months
Keeping communal areas safe
Residents can place a limited number of approved items, such as pictures, paintings, ornaments, and plants, in communal areas. These items must be fire-resistant and must not cause an obstruction by blocking escape routes or hallways.
Items not allowed include rugs, Christmas decorations, bicycles, flammable items, refuse storage, charging electrical items, and footwear left outside doors.
For approval before putting anything in a communal area, please ask your Area Housing Officer via email.
Your responsibilities
- Keep your home fire safe. Do not do anything that could start a fire in your home or communal areas
- Keep shared areas clear. Do not leave any belongings in hallways, stairwells or near exits. These can block escape routes or cause a trip hazard if there is a fire
- Do not keep mobility scooters in shared areas
- Do not leave rubbish or bulky items for disposal in shared areas, even if you are moving out
- Do not smoke in shared areas
- Do not keep anything flammable, such as petrol or gas bottles, inside your home or communal areas
What to do if there is a fire
Our main fire safety rule is usually to "stay put." This means if there's a fire somewhere else in the building, it's generally safest for you to stay in your own flat.
If the Fire is in Your Flat:
- Get out immediately using the safest way.
- Make sure your front door closes behind you.
- Call 999 for the fire service as soon as you are safely away from the fire.
If the Fire is NOT in Your Flat:
- Stay in your flat and call 999.
- Our buildings are designed to keep a fire contained in the flat where it starts. This usually means it's safe for you to stay in your own home.
- South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will decide if anyone needs to leave the building.
Safety Support
We will give you information about:
- How to escape in case of a fire.
- Simple fire safety tips.
- The best way to contact the emergency services.
We provide this information to all new tenants and display it in the shared areas of your building.
If you need information in a different format, like braille, large print, audio, or another language, please let us know. We can arrange this for you.
If you have a disability that might affect how you respond in a fire, such as hearing problems or difficulty moving, please contact us. We will make sure you get the right support and any special equipment you might need.
