1. Fire Safety update Mike Kay, CEO &
Michael Lyons, Interim Compliance Manager
4th July 2017

2. CURRENT POSITION
NPH Liaison and agreement with NFRS (Northampton Fire and Rescue Service) and NBC
NFRS do 3 things:
1. Enforcement Inspections
2. Building Information for Fire Fighting
3. Home Fire Safety Checks
NFRS Objective is PREVENTION
They do not issue fire certificates, approve installations, give instructions etc

3. CURRENT POSITION Headlines
NPH work to and comply with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
“Responsible Person” – NPH
“Suitable and sufficient Risk Assessment”
Includes adequate fire safety arrangements including evacuation strategies
“Stay Put” Strategy
NFRS evacuate if required
Effective compartmentation and suitably protected means of escape
Sprinklers are not recommended
“Zero Tolerance” approach to fire escape routes

4. Fire Safety update
Michael Lyons
Interim Compliance Manager

5. Overview on NPH Fire arrangements
Following the tragic incident at Grenfell Tower in London, NPH has carried out extra safety checks in all the blocks that we manage on behalf of NBC. We have focused on a portfolio of blocks that are 18 metres and above, a rule used by the government and fire service.
The events at Grenfell Tower have raised questions from the public about how social landlords and their managing agents ensure the safety of their tenants and the blocks they live in.
This presentation offers an overview on fire safety within the properties managed by NPH including:
Cladding and External Wall Insulation (EWI)
The stay put arrangement
Current fire safety arrangements
Activities since the London fire

6. Cladding & EWI
Speculation has raised questions over the use of External Cladding and EWI –
in particular (ACM’s) Aluminium Composite Material.
In regards to NBC blocks:
Cladding on St Katherines Court is a different material to the one used on Grenfell Tower. It is a layered composite zero fire rated material. This rating is awarded to the highest fire retardant building materials such as concrete, steel and brick.
The insulation used on St Katherines Court is a mineral wool, which is also fire retardant and does not support combustion.
The methods of installation used on St Katherines Court, and on all NBC properties where EWI has been installed have additional fire breaks built into the design. These fire breaks offer additional compartmentalisation vertically and horizontally.
EWI is a method used to provide thermal insulation to the outside of a building. The fire protection element of EWI comes from the stringent instillation methods used, and the addition of layers of silicon and then an external render that are placed over the insulation material.

7. The Stay Put Arrangement
The stay put arrangement is a nationally recognised approach used by social and private landlords to manage the safety of residents in blocks. NPH would only review its approach to the stay put arrangements if it was advised to do so by Fire Services nationally.
Over the past 2 years NPH has invested significantly into fire safety, as well as working closely with partners to ensure the highest levels of fire safety for NBC tenants.

8. The Stay Put Arrangement
The following arrangements are in place and contribute to NPH offering assurance on fire to its tenants, board and NBC:
Over 4,000 fire doors replaced
All 670 properties requiring an Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) have a full and valid FRA
NPH has a dedicated in-house Fire Safety Officer
All works stemming from an FRA are managed by the Fire safety Officer
Fire safety is a priority on all Planned Investment and regeneration works undertaken by the Asset team
The estate teams and housing officers undertake regular inspections on all sites regularly
The fire service have attended multiple blocks over the past 2 weeks and are satisfied with the stay put arrangement employed by NPH

9. Current fire safety arrangements on tower blocks
NPH manages circa 11,700 properties on behalf of Northampton Borough Council.
The portfolio includes 670 locations that require an FRA, of those 670 only 11 are above 5 storeys, and only one block (St Katherines Court) could be categorised as approaching high-rise.
All blocks are fully compliant

10. Current fire safety arrangements
Under the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (2005), NPH is fully compliant and has completed its duty to carry out FRA’s on all locations where they are required. These FRAs are programmed in on a rolling basis, and ensures all locations are assessed on a frequency relative to the risk associated with a block. The current inspection regime and compliance data is outlined below:
NPH has reviewed all high risk FRA’s and revised FRA’s are now in place on all these assets.
Risk rating
Risk Criteria
Number of blocks
FRA schedule
FRA compliance
High Risk
5 storeys or higher
11 Blocks
Annual
100%
Sheltered Blocks
1 Block
Eleonore House
Community Hubs 18
Medium
Under 5 floors with 20 + flats
15 Blocks
Blocks with flats
524 Blocks
2 years
Low Risk
Blocks with 1-6 flats
101 Blocks
3 years

11. Activities since the London fire
Since Grenfell Tower, NPH has carried out additional validation works on all blocks. Initially these activities focused on the 11 blocks managed by NPH that are above 5 storeys.
The scope of this project expanded to include input and requirements from external partners including the Fire Service, central government (DCLG and HCA) and local government.

12. Activities since the London fire
The previously mentioned revision of all high risk FRA’s was instructed commencing with the 11 high risk blocks
All fire alarms and detection systems were tested
All emergency lighting has been re-tested in all 11 high risk blocks
An external review of cladding from St Katherines Court was instructed
An external review of the NPH FRA programme has been agreed and is being instructed w/e 14th July when a contractor is agreed
NPH’s fire officer has conducted 6 joint visits on NBC blocks, and a further 9 others are planned
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) request information sheets were completed for all blocks above 6 stories
A Fire Safety update was provided to NBC for the full Council meeting on Monday 19th June
A report was delivered to NPH’s Audit & Risk Committee on 27th June, the committee noted they received assurance from the report

13. Thanks you for your attention
Any Questions?