Late November 2020 FREP answers
Question No: 2020/3947
Andrew Dismore
EWS1 forms were designed to be assess the safety of external wall systems on high-rise buildings over 18m. Is the current use of EWS1 forms for buildings of all sizes good practice?
Answer for EWS1 Process (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
EWS1 Process (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
The Government must ensure there is better guidance on this. I have written to the Government, calling for greater clarity on which buildings require an EWS1 form and which do not. Clear guidance is imperative, not only to restore confidence in the housing market, but also to ensure that building owners fulfil their legal and moral obligation to ensure their buildings are safe.
The Government must also urgently resolve issues relating to the difficulties engineers and surveyors face in finding professional indemnity cover for cladding related work. My Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development has raised this matter with the Association of British Insurers and the Building Safety Minister, Lord Greenhalgh.
London’s built environment (1)
Question No: 2020/3952
Andrew Dismore
MHCLG has shared data with London Fire Brigade that states there in excess of 72,000 premises in London which will fall into higher risk categories, including care homes, sheltered housing blocks and hospitals. How are you working with the Government to address the risks in London’s built environment?
Answer for London’s built environment (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
London’s built environment (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) review of the data provided by central Government suggests the correct figure is slightly over 62,000. These premises are in addition to the high-rise premises which form part of the Building Risk Review exercise of high-rise residential blocks and does not necessarily directly relate to the presence of cladding or other potentially combustible external wall systems.
LFB has not yet been provided with a list of the premises concerned but believes that many, if not all, of the premises are already part of ongoing inspection work and subject to audit or re-audit programmed in as part of the ongoing programme of work.
The London Fire Commissioner and his officers are in ongoing dialogue with central Government about the development of the enhanced building safety regime that the Government is bringing forward.
London’s built environment (4)
Question No: 2020/3955
Andrew Dismore
How are you working with and lobbying Government in order to address the risks in London’s built environment? Has this been fruitful?
Answer for London’s built environment (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
London’s built environment (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
As Mayor of London, I have responded to the vast majority of Government consultations on building safety since Grenfell and have written numerous letters setting out the action Government needs to take. These can be read at the link below. I have been pleased to see positive movement on a number of changes I have been calling for; most notably the combustible materials ban, the subsequent intention to lower the trigger height for the ban, and the move to require sprinklers in a greater number of buildings.
In addition, the London Fire Commissioner meets regularly with Ministers and other relevant stakeholders about the reforms being made to the existing legislative regime and other aspects of the built environment. London Fire Brigade officers, together with colleagues from the National Fire Chiefs Council, are in ongoing contact and discussion with the government officials tasked with the development of amendments to the existing legislative regimes. That dialogue has been fruitful in highlighting issues and aiding the development of solutions to provide for an enhanced and enforceable fire safety regime. I discuss these matters at my meetings with the London Fire Commissioner and have made numerous representations to Government on these issues.
Question No: 2020/3957
Andrew Dismore
The numbers of buildings with waking watches in London is currently estimated to be 420 rising. How much has monitoring interim measures like this increased the workload of LFB post-Grenfell?
Answer for Waking watches (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Waking watches (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
Monitoring interim measures when a building has a waking watch implemented requires a range of London Fire Brigade (LFB) resources. A visit will be conducted by a Fire Safety Inspecting Officer, which takes approximately one working day. Additionally, fire stations send a fire engine with a crew of four to six firefighters to check arrangements in place on average every two weeks, though there may be variations such as more regular visits for a new notification. Government funding has been provided to support the Building Risk Review programme. As part of that work, a High-Risk Premises Team monitors buildings where the strategy has temporarily changed to simultaneous evacuation and a waking watch is implemented.
Question No: 2020/3963
Andrew Dismore
When is the research of Professor James Bilzon expected to conclude?
Answer for LFB research (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB research (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
The Physiological trials led by Professor James Bilzon of the University of Bath are expected to conclude by the end of February 2021.
Question No: 2020/3968
Andrew Dismore
What are the estimated costs of the ‘One Risk‘ solution to consolidate building risk information into one database?
Answer for ‘One Risk’ solution (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
‘One Risk’ solution (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
The capital programme currently includes an allocation of £2.2 million for the OneRisk project.
Question No: 2020/3969
Andrew Dismore
Are budget constraints likely to hold back the completion and roll out of the ‘One Risk’ solution to consolidate building risk information into one database?
Answer for ‘One Risk’ solution (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
‘One Risk’ solution (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
The capital budget allocation for OneRisk is to be included in London Fire Brigade’s budget submission and is subject to the decision making process for the 2021/22 budget. This is an initial estimate with final costs to be determined by the tendering process.
Training Programme and the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 recommendations (1)
Question No: 2020/3972
Andrew Dismore
Meeting the recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 will require firefighters to attend training courses in order to develop skills. How many hours training on average will frontline firefighters be expected to undertake?
Answer for Training Programme and the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 recommendations (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Training Programme and the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 recommendations (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
At present, firefighters will be required to undertake 37.5 hours of training to develop skills to meet the recommendations from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. Eight of these training hours will need to be repeated every 48 months in order to maintain skills. Further training is currently in development which will require frontline firefighters to complete a further 62 hours of training. These additional training courses will be available within the next six months.
A smaller group of approximately 250 firefighters will also need to undertake a further 66 hours of training to develop aerial appliance skills. Once the initial training is complete regular training to maintain these skills will be put in place but the total number of hours required to be undertaken by each firefighter is yet to be determined.
Training Programme and the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 recommendations (2)
Question No: 2020/3973
Andrew Dismore
Meeting the recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 will require firefighters to attend training courses in order to develop skills. What financial pressure does this put LFB under and how is Government supporting LFB in this work?
Answer for Training Programme and the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 recommendations (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Training Programme and the Grenfell Inquiry phase 1 recommendations (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
The cost of these additional training requirements is currently estimated to be £1.66 million, combined for both 2020/21 and 2021/22. Not all training costs are yet known, as some of the new training is still in the process of being commissioned. The Government has established a £7 million Grenfell Infrastructure Fund to support the implementation of the Grenfell recommendations. London Fire Brigade (LFB) has received £1.3 million of this funding and is determining how this funding will be utilised. In addition, LFB’s Fire Safety Department has access to a £5m Protection Fund grant which will be utilised for staffing, learning and development, and new technology.
LFB Response to a Second Wave (3)
Question No: 2020/3976
Andrew Dismore
Is non-risk critical training expected to continue during the second wave of Covid-19? Why is this?
Answer for LFB Response to a Second Wave (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB Response to a Second Wave (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
All of the face-to-face training that is currently being provided is risk-critical. Control measures are in place to allow the delivery of face-to-face training with minimal risk to personnel. The Fire Brigades Union has been consulted throughout and agreement reached at each stage before reinstating training courses. Non-risk critical training that can be completed remotely (non face-to-face) will continue.
LFB Response to a Second Wave (4)
Question No: 2020/3977
Andrew Dismore
How important are the continuation of multi-pump exercises during the second wave of Covid-19?
Answer for LFB Response to a Second Wave (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 24 November, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB Response to a Second Wave (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 November, 2020
The continuation of multi-pump exercises provides the opportunity for London Fire Brigade (LFB) crews to build on what they have learnt in the face-to-face training and put that learning into practical application
Multi-pump exercises provide realistic training not only for LFB staff, but also for blue light partners. The London Ambulance Service and Metropolitan Police Service continue to support these exercises during the current COVID-19 restrictions. Where appropriate, neighbouring fire brigades can also take part in multi-pump exercises, contributing to the cross-border training recommendation made within the HMICFRS inspection.
In light of this continued importance, LFB has put in place strict COVID-19 controls at all multi-pump exercises with a robust track and trace system in place for all external agencies to use when taking part in the exercises. LFB also provides a comprehensive safety brief prior to the start of the exercises.
