In the aftermath of a tragic fire, the Electrical Safety Council has teamed up with the Association of Residential Managing Agents and a number of other organisations to produce a new guide promoting electrical safety in the communal areas of residential properties in England and Wales.
The ESC, a charity, was approached by ARMA after concerns were raised in the wake of several high-profile electrical incidents, including a fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell, London, in July 2009 which resulted in the deaths of six people, including a mother and her three-week-old daughter.
The fire, which was caused by an electrical fault in a television in a ninth-floor flat, spread rapidly to other floors of the residential block.
An investigation drew attention to the level of fire protection provided for the communal areas, in particular to the inadequate maintenance of fire doors, emergency lighting and ventilation grilles, and to the fact that there was no emergency escape plan.
The new ESC guide aims to raise awareness of the legal obligations relating to electrical safety in the ‘common parts’ of residential buildings by providing detailed guidance and advice on areas such as staircases, hallways, landings and boiler rooms.
‘Electrical safety in communal areas of residential properties’ is available to download free from the ESC industry website:
www.esc.org.uk/industry
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