Your Safety

Fire Safety

A fire in your home could be fatal. Working smoke and heat alarms provide you with a warning that could give you those crucial few minutes to get out of your home safely.

The Association has upgraded the smoke alarms in your property to meet the new Scottish Government standards and every home now has interlinked fire alarms which means that if one alarm goes off, they all go off. This interlinked feature can help save lives especially if you’re somewhere else in the house and did not hear the alarm closest to the fire.

It is important that these alarms are kept in good working order. Please report any faults to us as soon as possible so that we can have the alarms repaired.

Free Home Fire Safety Visits

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service offer everyone in Scotland a free home fire safety visit. Officers from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will carry out an inspection in your home and check for any potential fire risks to your property. If required, they may also provide additional smoke alarms free of charge. Book your visit by:

• texting ‘FIRE’ to 80800 from your mobile phone
• calling 0800 0731 999
• visiting firescotland.gov.uk to fill in an online form.

You can also read fire safety advice at www.firescotland.gov.uk, including specific advice for tenants who live in multi-storey buildings.

Tips to help keep your home safe from fire

• Have an interlinked smoke alarm system fitted (if you do not have one or are unsure, please contact our repairs team on 0141 429 3900.)
• Have a smoke alarm fitted on each level of your home and test it weekly. To help you remember to do this, why not adopt “TEST IT TUESDAY” to remind you to carry out this test.
• Don’t be tempted to clutter stairs and corridors of your home or building. If fire breaks out, they may be your only escape route.
• Don’t overload plug sockets.
• Take care when using candles.
• Ensure that cigarettes are properly put out.
• Plan an escape route.
• Close internal doors when you go to bed at night.

Gas Safety

If you have gas in your home, we need to carry out a gas safety visit each year - it’s the law. It’s important that you provide us access to your home to carry out these checks. We may need to force entry to your home if we can’t get into the property, and the cost of this will be charged to you.

We will write to you before your gas service is due. The letter will outline the dates we will be in your area and will ask you to make an appointment with us.

If you don’t make an appointment with us within 7 days of receiving your letter, we’ll send a reminder. If you still do not get in touch, we will arrange an appointment for you and notify you of this.

If you are not at home at the time of our visit then we will need to force entry to your home, as per the conditions of your tenancy agreement, and the cost of this will be charged to you.

After we have completed your gas safety check, we will supply you with a certificate within 28 days.

Carbon monoxide detectors

If you use gas in your home, we should have fitted a carbon monoxide detector. If an alarm sounds from the detector, you should turn off all gas appliances straight away. Contact us immediately on 0141 429 3900 for further instructions during office hours or use our emergency line 0800 783 7937 when our office is closed.

If you have gas in your home but do not have a carbon monoxide detector, contact the office urgently.

If you smell gas in your home

• turn off all gas appliances.
• turn gas off at the meter.
• open all doors and windows.
• don’t use matches or naked flames.
• put out any cigarettes or candles.
• don’t turn any electrical appliances and switches on or off.
• don’t press buttons on the door entry system – open doors manually.

Call emergency service company SGN as soon as you can on 0800 111 999. They will ask you questions about the suspected gas leak and give you further advice.

You should also contact us urgently if you suspect your gas system to be unsafe on 0141 429 3900.

Electrical Safety

If electrical systems or appliances in your home are unsafe, you could be at risk of electric shocks, burns, or fire.

We help to keep your home safe by:  

• Carrying out electrical safety checks before you move in
• Conducting electrical safety testing at your home and providing you with an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR.)
• Carrying out portable appliance testing on any electrical items provided by the Association as part of your tenancy agreement (e.g. white goods, where applicable.)
• Installing and maintaining smoke detectors
• Providing a repairs service to keep electrical systems safe.
• Carrying out regular checks on appliances in common areas, such as laundries.

Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs)

An EICR is a certificate that details the safety and overall condition of all the electrical installations and fittings in a home. An EICR takes place every five years and follows an in-depth assessment carried out by a qualified electrician.

EICRs are a mandatory legal requirement for all Scottish housing associations.

To find out more about EICRs, what happens and how to prepare, we provide this information leaflet.

Help prepare for an EICR visit

Ensure you give access for all electrical safety checks and contact us if you require any electrical work or repairs within your home. Only electricians employed or approved by us can carry out this type of work.

You can also help to keep your household and your home safe. Check that:

• wall sockets aren’t overloaded and avoid using multiple extension cables (e.g. daisy chained).
• cables and leads are in good condition.
• electrical chargers are checked for overheating and switched off when devices are fully charged or not in use.
• cables aren’t coiled, which leads to overheating.
• computers, gaming consoles and TV boxes are well ventilated.
• electrical items are kept away from water and other liquids
• mains-powered electrical items are never taken into the bathroom.
• electrical items are switched off when not in use.

Asbestos

Asbestos is not dangerous provided it remains intact, is sealed safely and in good condition. It becomes dangerous when it is damaged or broken allowing fibres to be released into the air.

To help prevent this, it’s important that you don’t:

• drill through asbestos boards
• cut or break off parts of asbestos products.
• rub down asbestos panels or textured coatings such as Artex with sandpaper.
• use wallpaper scrapers on asbestos panels or textured coatings such as Artex.
• remove asbestos panels.
• clean or remove dust and debris that may contain asbestos.

Why was asbestos used in homes?

Asbestos was a popular material for builders across the UK from the 1950s to 1980s as it’s resistant to heat and chemicals.

Homes built since the mid-1980s are unlikely to have asbestos in the fabric of the building but may still have some traces within some floor tiles or textured coatings, such as Artex, on ceilings or walls.

Homes built since 2000 should not contain asbestos anywhere in the building.

Many types of different asbestos products were produced over the years, and these products can be found in a great variety of locations in domestic properties, from within the fuse board, in boiler cupboards, to the external soffits, gutters and down pipes.

If there’s asbestos in your home, you must not damage or disturb it.

Carrying out DIY

If you want to carry out DIY that goes beyond simple decoration, please contact the office beforehand on 0141 429 3900. This will allow us to help you find out if there is any asbestos in your home.

Legionella

Legionella is a bacterium that can live in domestic hot and cold water pipes and tanks

Legionella thrives in water temperatures between 20°C and 45°C. The bacteria is killed at temperatures above 60°C and finding high levels of legionella bacteria below 20°C is uncommon.  The risk of Legionella problems in frequently used domestic hot and cold-water systems is relatively low, however it should not be ignored.

Legionnaires' disease

Legionnaires’ disease is a pneumonia-like illness caused by the Legionella bacteria.

The infection is caused by breathing in water droplets in aerosol form or spray-mists which have been contaminated by the bacteria. Those most at risk include elderly people, smokers, and those suffering from long-term illness. It is not contracted through drinking contaminated water and cannot be passed from person to person.

How to reduce the risk from Legionella

• If you move into a new home or your home has been lying unoccupied for two weeks or more, for example, if you’ve been on holiday, then you should take time to flush out your water system.
• To flush out your water system you need to run the water in all showers, baths, wash basins, sinks and taps continuously for at least two minutes, beginning with the sink taps. You must do both hot and cold taps.
• When turning taps on, turn them on slowly so that you don’t splash water, as this might release water droplets into the air.
• When flushing showers, remove the shower head and lower the hose into the bath. If you’re unable to remove the head, wrap it in a towel or facecloth to make sure there is no spray that you could inhale.
• If you aren’t using showers or taps regularly, for example bath taps if you normally use only the shower, make sure you flush them through at least once a week following the method detailed above.
• Regularly clean your shower head and hose, if you have one, with a mild disinfectant solution.

By following these basic rules, you will minimise any risk to you and those in your household from legionella. If you need help or advice on doing this please contact our Maintenance Team on 0141 429 3900.

Passenger Lifts

Where passenger lifts are installed in your building, these often provide a lifeline for tenants and residents, especially those who are elderly or have mobility issues.

It is therefore important that these services are well maintained; and treated with care by users.   

What does the Association do?

The Association uses specialist lift consultants and technicians to carry out statutory inspections, conduct routine maintenance checks and provide a robust maintenance programme on all passenger lifts on our estate.

Our lift contractor also provides a breakdown service to help minimise any disruption and inconvenience to tenants where possible.

Please be aware that whilst the Association endeavours to have services restored as quickly as possible following a lift outage, we cannot provide a service to arrange access to and from your home during such circumstances. If required, tenants would have to make alternative arrangements for this eventuality.

What can you do?

You can help reduce the likelihood of inconvenient and unnecessary breakdowns occurring by taking a few simple steps:

• Tenants should never interfere with lift equipment. This includes simple things like putting a hand between two closing doors. This is a dangerous and unnecessary practice.
• Hitting or bumping the car doors, or forcing them open, can cause electronic components to miss-align, which is the most frequent cause of lift breakdowns.
• Take extra care if you use a mobility scooter when entering and leaving the lift car to avoid striking the lift doors or surround.
• Keep debris and litter away from your lifts. When debris gathers in the lift pit, it can become a fire hazard and will take additional time and cost for the maintenance technicians to clear.
• Avoid overloading. Wait for the next car, if the lift is full.
• Take the stairs if there is a fire or other circumstances that could lead to a disruption in electrical service.
• If the doors do not open when the elevator stops, push the DOOR OPEN button. If the doors still don’t open, push the ALARM button and/or use the intercom for 10seconds and wait for the receiving centre to respond and assist you.

If the lift breaks down or stops between floors:

• Push the ALARM button and/or use the intercom for 10 seconds and wait for the receiving centre to respond and assist you.
• Do not force open the elevator doors.
• Do not attempt to leave the elevator.
• Be patient—help is on the way. You are safe and there is plenty of air. So, relax and wait for help.

Home Security

Simple steps can help to keep your household safe from intruders.

Keep communal entrances secure by:

• keeping doors closed and locked.
• reporting any repairs needed to door entry systems.
• being aware of who follows you through the entry door, be aware of tailgaters.
• being aware who you let into the building using the controlled entry system.
• not leaving valuable items in the communal space.

Keep your own home secure by:

• keeping doors locked
• keeping windows closed when you are not at home.
• keeping valuables out of sight from windows, especially at street level
• keeping separate keyrings for your home and car
• making sure there are no personal details on your keys or key ring.
• making sure keys aren’t left in locks, under door mats, or any other places someone could access from outside.

If you are suspicious of someone trying to get access to your building, report this to the police (dial 999 for emergency; 101 for non-emergency) and to the Association on 0141 429 3900.

Bogus Callers

Bogus callers are criminals who pretend to be someone else in order to get into your home.

They often pretend to be from a council department or a utility company. They could also pretend to be from NGHA.

There may be times when we will need to access your home. All of our staff and our contractors carry identification. Visitors from the council and utility companies will also carry identification, which should also have a number you can use to check that they are who they tell you.

Always ask to see someone’s identification, and never let unidentified visitors into your home.

If you are unsure of anyone who is trying to gain access to your home and claims to be from NGHA or our contractors, call us on 0141 429 3900. 

If you are suspicious of someone who tried to get into your home, report this to the police (dial 999 for emergency; 101 for non-emergency) and to us. This helps us to stay aware of bogus callers in the area.