By Rob Wheeler, Housing officer, Northampton Partnership Homes

At NPH we’ve always taken a proactive approach to fire safety, but since the Grenfell tragedy and the ongoing inquiry we’ve sought to improve our processes to reassure our residents, especially those living in blocks, that their safety is our priority.

Although our approach was compliant with regulations, our processes were manual, paper-based and time-consuming, and we knew it was time to innovate.

Our aim was to streamline processes, reduce risk of human error and improve our knowledge on the properties that we manage. Frontline staff, compliance officers, the fire service and residents were involved at every stage. When we reviewed technology already available on the market, it became clear it didn’t meet our ambitious requirements, so we decided to create our own solution.

Our teams created an app, allowing users to carry out safety assessments on the go. It integrates with our business systems, allowing data to be recorded instantly. This data is visible to every team required to take action as a result of assessments. It automatically schedules visits in team members’ work queues, so that they are made on time and can be reallocated to another staff member should they be absent from work.

“This new approach to fire safety allows us to produce management information that helps us to spot trends and make strategic decisions around safety”

During visits, property information can be added or updated, including cladding type, building construction and locations of fire exits, so we have the most up-to-date information available. If staff spot a missing fire sign or a broken fire door, they record this in the app and our repairs team are notified instantly; previously we relied on staff remembering to report this when back in the office. Users can upload photos, making it easier for repairs operatives to diagnose issues and ensure they arrive at the job with the equipment needed to make the repair.

Another key feature of the app is that it includes voice technology, allowing users to record findings quickly and easily. This was included after user feedback told us the app was fiddly to type into on small mobile devices.

This new approach to fire safety allows us to produce management information that helps us to spot trends and make strategic decisions around safety, meaning that we’re now in a better position to spot and react to issues or potential issues quickly. The app recommends actions as a result of information recorded, and is fully auditable, offering colleagues and residents reassurance.

We believe this new solution has improved the safety of our residents. It’s future-proof, complies with PAS 79 and is fully auditable, with full assessments and inspections available in one place. Our inhouse team can make real-time updates and change the specification to reflect changes in regulations or to our processes. Thanks to the involvement of frontline colleagues at every stage of the project, we’ve created a solution that really works for those using it.

Trust me, I’m one of those people!