Page 29 - Project Acanthus_Mainstay

28. How have you adapted your processes to take account of new fire safety legislation? Please describe how your safety team supports the team on site
and influences decisions on fire watch and remote monitoring.
One of the benefits of having an in-house health and safety team is that it makes it easier for Mainstay to adapt our processes in line with changing regulations. Rachel Dobson, who is the head of the department, has made fire safety a key part of her role.
Part of ensuring that our processes remain nimble and best practice is our Primary Authority Partnership with Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. The partnership provides assured and tailored advice on compliance with fire safety legislation and codes of practice across our portfolio.
The relationship means that we voluntarily exposed ourselves to a thorough examination by an Enforcing Authority who audits all our policies, management systems, fire risk assessments, properties etc. This ensures that we are doing everything possible to manage fire safety effectively. This enables us
to provide the best service possible to our customers and ultimately to help keep our service users safe from fire in their homes and workplace.
Mainstay was one of the first managing agents to form a Primary Authority Partnership in 2015 and it has gone from strength to strength. Following on from the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, our partnership is even more valuable and has helped us to adapt our polices as well as provide support and guidance to our clients.
The Primary Authority is a legally recognised partnership with a single local authority. It provides the business with robust and reliable regulatory advice which other local authorities must take into account in their dealings with the business. It also means that Mainstay’s Fire Risk Assessments are audited by the authority to ensure they are ‘suitable and sufficient’ under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Having a Primary Authority Partnership shows commitment to working with regulators, as well as a desire to better our customers’ experience of local regulation.
In addition, Rachel sits on the ARMA Health & Safety and Fire Committee (HSFC). Since 2017 there have been a significant number of Government Reviews following the Grenfell disaster and the HSFC have been involved in several of these, advising and supporting good practice within the property management industry. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly attends these meetings to understand the challenges we are facing within the industry and for them to also inform the committee of any potential changes afoot. This enables us to better prepare for coming regulatory changes.
With regard to fire watch and remote monitoring specifically, any recommendations from fire safety professionals on waking watch and/or remote monitoring are discussed with Rachel Dobson, the local Enforcing Authority and our Primary Authority on measures to take where the implementation is required. Mainstay works with all those involved and ensures robust management measures are put in place along with consistent communication with residents and other interested parties.
Mainstay: Response to Tender | Project Acanthus - Part Two
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