Data from London Fire Brigade has revealed that more than 100 premises in Havering, including a school and a hotel, were found needing fire safety improvements in the last three years.
A report on fire inspections showed that 104 sites were issued a notice of deficiency (NOD) while 10 were given an enforcement notice between March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2023.
Of these, 94 premises continued to not have any further updates on their notice, suggesting that they might still be non-compliant.
As per the latest available data on these notices, places that were issued an NOD in Havering in the last three years included Hilldene Primary School in Harold Hill.
Palms Hotel in Hornchurch and Rose House care home in Harold Hill are among the ten places that had been sent enforcement notices.
The hotel was also found non-complaint in all three inspections carried out since July 2020.
The Recorder tried contacting the owner of Palms Hotel for a comment on fire safety, and an employee in his company said the hotel is currently undergoing a refurbishment.
A staff member at Hilldene Junior School directed the Recorder to Havering Council when contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for the council said that the London Fire Brigade (LFB) audit of the school in August 2022 drew attention to a "number of improvements needed to reach fire safety standards".
These, she said, included fitting and repairing fire doors, improving their methods of fire detection and better storage for combustible goods.
School leaders put an action plan in place following the audit and an interim assessment was carried out in February 2023 when the LFB were said to be satisfied with the progress made.
The spokesperson added: “Since then, the school has worked with the council to address the few outstanding works. The final works will be carried out over the summer holiday and the site will then be re-audited to ensure they meet the safety standards.”
Following an Freedom of Information request filed by the Recorder, LFB explained that being ‘deficient’ means that “some safety matters require attention to reduce the risk of fire and/or reasonably ensure safety of people using the premises”.
These matters, the brigade said, need to be addressed to comply with the Fire Safety Order 2005.
The order applies to anyone who owns, manages or operates a business, but does not include individual private homes. It also, however, covers shared areas in a house in multiple occupation (HMO), block of flats and maisonettes.
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It requires the premises to meet fire safety standards laid down by it, and the employees to have “adequate fire training”.
These standards include aspects like providing a suitable method of giving a warning in case of fire and ensuring there are enough escape routes leading to a place of safety.
Putting in place an emergency plan and maintaining fire safety devices are some of the other factors.
The brigade further clarified that the level of risk determines what notice is issued to the premises following an audit.
A notice of deficiency (NOD), means that the issues are “minor” enough that they can be rectified without needing any formal intervention from the LFB.
The responsible person in this case is given a period of time to address the shortfalls.
Whereas when an enforcement notice is issued, the LFB hands a written document outlining specific actions that need to be taken within a given deadline. These places are then added to a public register”.
Highlighting the next steps to monitor the non-compliant premises, the brigade clarified if there is a "sleeping risk", then they will generally follow up if the premises is not compliant.
In case an enforcement notice is issued and the suggested works are not being carried out to a "satisfactory standard", the brigade can then consider whether a prosecution or an extension of time is appropriate.
A spokesperson for LFB said: "If all works are done then we update the public register with the date notice complied with."
Rose House was also contacted for comment, but no response was received.
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