Lewisham Homes

We are a social housing provider, managing homes on behalf of Lewisham Council

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Major works on the Pepys Estate

Aerial photograph of the Pepys Estate

Lewisham Homes is in the process of upgrading the fire safety of the blocks on the Pepys Estate.

Fire Risk Assessments have identified the essential elements that require works to be carried out as a matter of urgency in order to improve the fire safety of our residents and their homes.

The majority of the work is to prevent fire and smoke from spreading between rooms, flats and communal areas. This is referred to as ‘fire compartmentation’, and includes checking doors, walls, floors, ceilings, as well as all electrical and plumbing installations, in order to make sure there are no gaps that fire and smoke can get through.

We are also looking to upgrade the electrical installations (lateral mains) and smoke/fire alarm systems.

We have appointed four different contractors to carry out these essential works. This is to spread the workload and allow for works to be carried out promptly and efficiently. Our contractors are Axis Europe, Foster Property Maintenance, Engie and Mulalley.

Pepys Estate resident liaison officers

What’s involved?

We will be looking at each individual property and ensuring that they meet the safest standard possible.

We will check the internal fire safety of your home and seek to upgrade the smoke alarm system, check the electrical system and replace any internal doors which do not provide adequate protection.

New fuseboards and lateral mains are included in the scope of works. This will mean that your electrical supplies will be isolated for a few hours to enable this work to be completed, for which you will be notified in advance.

Front entrance doors to blocks will also be checked and replaced where necessary.

We will also be looking at the fire safety of the communal areas of your blocks. We will be checking everything from the fire doors to the lighting, electrical systems and escape routes.

Once the works have finished we will have improved the fire safety of each block ensuring greater safety for residents and visitors.

Covid-safe operating procedures

We believe the Covid situation and lockdowns have increased the urgency of these works, not least concerning the replacement of the lateral mains, given the increased electricity demand from more residents staying in their home. We intend to continue with the works as long as we can do so within government guidelines.

Our contractors have all received specific training on Covid safety. Each contractor site compound has a detailed Safe Operating Procedure document produced by their operational and safety teams in line with government, HSE and construction leadership council guidance, to include how they approach the management of works during Covid-19.

As a further control measure since the new lockdown we have introduced a zero tolerance policy for failing to follow these practices.

Listed below are some of the points that are included:

  • Colleagues / operatives will travel to sites alone wherever possible using their allocated or own vehicle. If sharing a vehicle and social distancing cannot be maintained, surgical masks and safety glasses should be used. All vehicles are cleaned regularly
  • Our trained site Gate Marshals will ask a set of health questions to everyone entering the site. All operatives are signed in and out, and everyone has their temperature taken with an infrared thermometer (with access refused if a high temperature is given)
  • Singular entrances are used to ensure the flow of operatives coming to site can be controlled
  • ‘One-way’ routes are implemented on site where possible to minimise interaction
  • Signage has been installed, providing awareness information and restrictions on site
  • Specially constructed purpose-built sanitisation stations are positioned at the entrance to each site to ensure operatives use them before going any further into the site. Further stations are positioned around the sites for ease of hand cleaning
  • A dedicated cleaner is employed to continually clean all site welfare facilities
  • Enhanced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) precautions have been implemented
  • All operatives are re-inducted, as the sites they left before the lockdown may not be the sites they return to. Inductions will be held outside observing the social distancing guidelines
  • All office and site-based staff must complete a mandatory Covid-19 e-learning course
  • Designated Covid-19 marshals have been appointed on all sites to help reinforce the safe working message