under stair storage

[0923]

Confirmation required regarding open areas under stairs must be kept clear of combustible material, rubbish etc.

[Phoenix]

Usually but, of course, it's not that simple.  "It depends" is not the best answer to receive but that's about as good as can be provided on the information provided.

Stu

 

[davidj]

That's a question I had. In one block we have two baby buggies there.  I thought they were a risk, but the LFB person I asked (I didn't get more than a short phone call - see my FRA posting) said they would probably be OK, because the material would be fireproofed (in spite of their fire safety leaflet giving an absolute ban on prams in common areas).

The other thing I think is unsafe there, but haven't convinced the other directors, or the person who acts as manager, of is that the green recycling boxes get stored there (newspapers and PET bottles being the inflammable components).

[kurnal]

David it sounds like you need help and a competent risk assessor to explain the all of the issues to all directors and the manager.

Ignorance is bliss but only until hindsight comes along and kicks you in the teeth.

You have to recognise that sometimes rules can be bent and common sense can be applied. Trouble is the enforcement of bent rules is very difficult. For example you could say that one person can keep a bicycle in the stairwell. That person is the first to ask and a bicycle isnt much of a hazard. But I was in a small block like yours the other day with about 8 bikes in various states of disrepair chained to the rails of the staircase at ground floor and going up the stairs and a further two in the first floor lobby. A nightmare of a trip hazard if nothing else. Then someone wants to charge their mobility scooter in the stairwell and run an extension lead across the staircase. Then someone else wants to store a sofa and  matress in the staircase. and so on it goes. Sometimes zero tolerance is the only way, due to human nature.

[davidj]

I tend to agree.  The problems are in getting the person who is going to convince them to buy the services of the person to convince them, and in selling the no tolerance policy to our "owners", the leaseholders.

I believe we will eventually get audited, but as low rise, privately owned blocks, we are very low priority and it may take several years.  With my luck, they will do it on the day the boxes are emptied.

I think, though, that I may have revealed too much about the company politics.  They may be an important factor, but what is said here is unlikely to change them.  Also, my skills are technical rather than political.

[kurnal]

Should you be unfortunate enough to have a fire this will also prompt an audit and potentially an investigation. And suddenly hindsight will arrive without warning.

Your arrangements are far from unusual, your problems are shared by many. Where the directors are also the lease holders it can be particularly difficult to persuade them to change their habits.

I would like to think that the Law would look at this situation with greater sympathy where the management company comprises entirely leaseholders who occupy the building, rather than where there are managing agents or tenants, but of course nobody could guarantee this to be the case.

[Tom Sutton]

David you could move to Scotland and you wouldn't have any of these problems. 

http://fire.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5031.0