Monday 21 April
14.00hrs
Student accommodation is set to become a safer place to live
following a partnership between UNITE, the UK’s largest provider of
student hospitality and accommodation and Avon Fire & Rescue
Service (AF&RS).
The fire service has been working closely with UNITE for the
past three years to advise on a range of fire safety issues from
building design and fire alarm systems to training and
management.
As a result, the Bristol-based organisation and AF&RS have
now signed an agreement to work together in maintaining and
improving the fire safety arrangements in existing UNITE
properties.
Following the agreement, AF&RS has been contacted by other
student accommodation providers for advice on how best to protect
their properties, as well as by colleagues in Fire and Rescue
Services throughout the country, said Graham Blight, from
AF&RS’s Building Regulations Team.
He added: “We are delighted that AF&RS has been able to team up
with UNITE to help make student accommodation safer in terms of
fire safety. Due to our combined efforts, future properties owned
by UNITE will be improved with better fire safety provisions.
“And as a result of our current work, false alarm call outs to
UNITE premises have been dramatically reduced over the last three
years by 85%.
“As well as making the buildings safe for those living there, we
have also been able to consult on our requirements for resilience
in the event of a fire. Buildings not only must remain habitable
long enough to ensure everyone inside can escape safely in the
event of a fire, but also have safe areas inside where firefighters
can tackle fires from.”
The two organisations will now look at safer building design for
new sites, including the provision of sprinkler systems in some
properties, a concept taken on by UNITE at its ‘modular building’
factory in Gloucester.
Providing accommodation to some 40,000 students, UNITE operates
135 properties throughout the UK in cities and towns with
universities.
Gary Cutter, Health, Safety and Risk Manager at UNITE said: “We
are delighted to be working with Avon Fire & Rescue
Service and we are both clearly leading the way in fire prevention
and management within this sector.
“We have reduced false alarm call outs by some 85% which is an
incredible reduction and through this partnership we hope to
continue this and share our best practise with other
organisations.
“Working closely with leading organisations such as Avon
Fire & Rescue Service is pivotal to UNITE in order for us
to operate and deliver the safest environment for our student
customers to live.”