Health and Safety

The health and safety of our tenants is very important to us.

Gas and Electricity safety

•  all gas appliances are inspected and approved annually, and tenants are given a copy of the most recent inspection form with their keys
• all electrical systems are inspected every five years (the recommended time interval) and tenants can ask to see a copy of the most recent inspection form at Unipol's office
• all of Unipol's properties have circuit breaker consumer units which trip out power if an unsafe appliance (normally a tenant's own) is being used.

Fire safety

• all kitchens are provided with a fire blanket. All properties occupied by families are provided with a fire blanket and dry powder fire extinguisher. Both are serviced annually
• all dwellings have an automatic smoke detection system which is hard-wired and interlinked. Larger properties have a full zoned heat and smoke detection system which includes manual break glass call points.
• all larger properties have half-hour fire doors throughout (all shared properties have a fire door on the kitchen) with self-closers, to ensure that fires are contained within the room in which they started. All shared properties and complexes have fire-protected exit routes
• all soft furnishings (sofas and mattresses) meet with the soft furnishing regulations which aim to reduce the spread of fire
• properties let on an individual basis or those that are sub-divided, a RRO risk assessment is carried out annually. All large developments have RRO risk assessment carried out.
  

Good Practice

• all properties are risk assessed to identify hazards and minimise risk
• all staircases have handrails to prevent falling
• external steps have handrails fitted where hazards are identified
• all cookers have safety chains  

All the safety systems are checked and serviced regularly. Tenants - and their parents - are encouraged to raise any safety concerns and Housing Management Officers are always pleased to explain safety matters and systems.

Unipol's full Health and Safety Policy reviewed in 2011, is available here as an adobe acrobat pdf file.