Tenant safety

Jason Leech assesses the implications of an important new guidance document, deriving in part from the Grenfell disaster, and having far-reaching implications on the selection of spandrel panels for high-rise buildings.

Aico will be exhibiting at the Chartered Institute of Housing’s (CIH) ‘Housing 2019 Conference & Exhibition’ in Manchester Central, 25th – 27th June on stand D20.

Tim Vincent, Head of Technical at ROCKWOOL UK, looks at the latest advice for HAs on managing fire safety in connection with the insulation and cladding on existing housing stock.

As the society we live in becomes ever more conscious of safety in the home, there is an increasing requirement for safety equipment to protect against the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and fires, which kill and injure many hundreds of people in UK homes every year. This is particularly true for local authorities and housing associations who, having a duty of care to their tenants, must take all reasonable action to protect them from these dangers.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous gas produced when burning any fossil fuel such as gas, coal, oil, wood …etc. It is odourless and colourless and so is not easily detectable and no one is immune. It can kill quickly in large concentrations or build up slowly over time with the same result. Initial symptoms such as headaches, nausea and general lethargy can also often be mistaken for other illnesses, even by the medical profession. CO can leak from flues and appliances when they are either not operating correctly or when the flues become blocked or damaged.