Welcome to the RM Risk Management Blog
This is the area for all things RM news related
Notification for tenants and service providers regarding the Coronavirus Pandemic
The government has stated that based on the World Health Organization’s declaration that this is a public health emergency of international concern, the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate regarding the Coronavirus. Whilst the number of cases in the UK still remains low and we must keep this in mind, this rise in the risk highlights the importance of planning ahead. Services to properties must be maintained with as little disruption to everyday business activity as possible, but we must ensure that we are prepared to take action to reduce any risk to tenants and workers alike. Adequate resources need to be in place to minimise the spread should there be an outbreak, and procedures should be planned in and communicated so that all relevant parties are aware of the situation. We believe it is important that discussions take place between […]
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What are the different types of Fire Strategy & does a building need one?
In recent years, the fire safety industry has had a massive shake-up. Events such as the Grenfell Tower fire and other large-scale fire disasters has meant that more duty holders are starting to ask the necessary questions when it comes to fire safety. Some property owners have reconsidered their Fire Strategy and many have begun to explore the different types of Fire Strategy services that are available, as they question which type is required for their buildings. A Fire Strategy acts as ‘the bible’ for a building’s fire safety measures and consolidates all building information into one report. Consulting a Fire Strategy usually answers any questions relating to fire safety in a building. Having a Fire Strategy means it’s a lot easier to review fire safety measures and make certain decisions – on safe occupancy levels for example. Having said this, fire strategies often go missing during a building’s sale […]
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New Government Measures to Improve Building Safety Standards
Last week the government announced new measures to improve building safety standards. The Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, detailed that the new Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive will go “further and faster to ensure residents are safe in their homes.” The new Regulator will give effective oversight of the design, construction and occupation of high-risk buildings. A press release from the government stated that “from next month [Mr Jenrick] will start to name building owners where remediation has not started to remove unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding from their buildings.” It also stated that “the government will consult on extending the ban on combustible materials to buildings below 18 metres and will seek views on how risks are assessed within existing buildings to inform future policy.” The new Bill has been driven forward following both the fire at Grenfell Tower and more recent high-rise fires such […]
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Poor Evacuation Methods Prove Costly for Rotherham United
Rotherham United football club has been fined £150,000 after pleading guilty to a single offence under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The offence dates back to January 2015 where, on a non-match day, two functions held in the conference and events suites had to be evacuated following a fire alarm. It turned out there was no fire and nobody was harmed during the evacuation, however a club statement detailed that “the incident highlighted issues in the co-ordination of evacuation measures for non-match day events at the stadium between the Club and its third party hospitality partner.” Following the events, the club launched an internal investigation and quickly took action to introduce more robust procedures. However, it can sometimes be too late to review things after an event, and Rotherham was lucky that this incident turned out to be harmless. Emergency procedure planning can literally be the difference between […]
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Tier 3 NAFRAR Accreditation for RM’s Tony Fogarty
Tony Fogarty, Managing Director at RM Risk Management, has been accredited and approved to be entered onto the Tier 3 National Accredited Fire Risk Assessors Register (NAFRAR). Tier 3 is a list of individuals who are able to carry out Fire Risk Assessments on high risk and complex buildings. They have registered through a process that has recognised their achievement at the highest standards and levels of competency for fire risk assessors that is available. Tony says, “There is a great deal involved in any Fire Risk Assessment, but with high risk or complex buildings it’s even more important to know what you’re doing. We pride ourselves in giving our clients the best support possible, and that means we believe in training and development and always understanding what is happening in the area of risk.” Tier 3 is the highest tier on the Fire Risk Assessors Register, a system set […]
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Supporting SIFA Fireside this Christmas
Christmas is a time of giving, and as a company that assists property owners and managers in creating a safe environment for their tenants, residents and staff, we can think of no better way than to reach out to those who won’t have that safe environment this December. There are many unfortunate people who don’t have a roof over their heads at any time, let alone during the festive period and colder months of the year, so for this reason RM has offered to support SIFA Fireside – a local charity that is doing great things to promote health and inclusion for the homeless in Birmingham. In early December some of our team visited SIFA Fireside’s Drop In centre, which is the charity’s main access point for support and services. Visitors to the Drop In are able to access food, showers and clothing, as well as a range of support […]
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Suspended sentences for bosses who ignored consultants’ advice over Legionella risk
The recent case of two people who have been sentenced to serve 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after failing to control the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria demonstrates how serious this matter is. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently reported that two people have been sentenced after failing to control the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria in the cooling tower at their business premises in Spring Hill, Birmingham. Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that between June 2017 and February 2018, Kulwant Singh Chatha and partner Satpaul Kaur Chatha of Isher Hangers actually ignored concerns raised by their own water treatment consultants, and no Legionella risk assessments were in place. An investigation by the HSE found that the cooling tower was not being managed to control the risk from Legionella bacteria. This failure exposed employees of Isher Hangers, as well as members of the public, […]
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RM Risk Management Launches New Website!
RM Risk Management is very excited to announce another improvement with the launch of our brand new website. Our new website provides a clear message of who we are, what we stand for and how we add value to our clients. The website boasts a clean design and intuitive and consistent site-wide navigation system with improved menu functionality that directs you to the information most relevant to you. It is also fully responsive with mobile devices, making it easy to navigate wherever you are. Our news page has received a much-needed facelift, you can also sign up to our newsletters for regular updates, and access the articles that matter to you through smart filters. Going forward, we will continue to communicate regularly through our news page and provide new articles and notifications. We also plan to continue adding more content and information to our social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and […]
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Tenants at Risk from Failed Actions
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has issued a report claiming that Runnymede Borough Council failed to meet the necessary regulations regarding electrical certification and Fire Risk Assessments work management and subsequently put tenants at risk. Two of Runnymede Borough Council’s developments were reported upon. Firstly a 17-storey tower block, and then also a sheltered housing scheme. The report stated that “relevant required actions were identified in two successive Fire Risk Assessments dating back to 2018 for the tower block, and 2017 for the sheltered scheme.” It then further stated that Runnymede Borough Council “has had no reliable means of evidencing, across its homes, the completion of remedial actions arising from Fire Risk Assessments.” Runneymede Borough Council has a legal responsibility to provide for the health and safety of occupants in their homes, however the RSH concluded that the Council “did not have an effective system in place to allow […]
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Know what to do and prepare yourself for emergency situations with citizenAID
citizenAID™ is the initiative of four deeply experienced UK civilian and military clinicians working in collaboration with industry to improve public resilience. When there is a shooting, stabbing or bomb explosion, the initial priority will be public safety. This can delay the time before the emergency services are able to reach the injured. citizenAID™ enables the general public to be effective in these situations before the emergency services are available to provide professional medical support. citizenAID™ is a simple, logical system of immediate actions. It is designed to guide the public to react safely, to pass effective messages to the emergency services, to prioritise the injured and to give life-saving first aid. This combination of effective organisation and immediate treatment will save lives. citizenAID™ builds on tried and tested principles that have been used by individual soldiers to save lives following comparable injuries sustained in the combat setting. citizenAID™ transfers […]
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