COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (1)

Monday, February 15, 2010

MOTION NO. 13

MOTION: Councillor S. Crowe

Cathaoirleachs Business

This Council Committee calls on the Manager to investigate the possibility of conducting and engaging in an audit of existing safety and other measures in conjunction with other interested state agencies, looking at the use of warning and exit systems, the regular use of  fire drills and other fire safety awareness information for residents living  in new and older tenant properties,with a view to establish and identify potential future problems and weaknesses, and to facilitate and encourage greater overall fire safety awareness.

REPORT:

The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, which have recently come into force require Local Authorities to install certain fire preventative measures.  The Council is currently studying the requirements under these Regulations in order to ascertain the level of compliance within our housing stock.  This exercise will involve an audit of the apartment type accommodation and when this exercise is completed any necessary works will be carried out. 

All dwellings constructed by the Council post 1994 are fitted with mains smoke alarms.  The Council commenced a Mains Smoke Alarm Programme in 2006 targareted at all pre 1994 housing units  and approximately 5,000 were fitted with four detectors, 3 smoke and 1 heat.  The balance of the housing stock have a minimum of two smoke alarms. 

The retro-fitting of smoke alarms has also been included in a number of Council initiatives including the Refurbishment Programme (approx. 1200 dwellings in designated estates across the County); the Essential Electrical Upgrade Programme and the Pre-Let Repairs.

All the smoke alarms have been fitted to the current requirements as outlined in the revised Building Regulations 2006 in relation to fire safety, (technical guidelines Document B Section 1.5.5.2 refers) and to the I.S. 3218 current standard.

There is emergency lighting in common areas in apartments with enclosed staircases and over 2 storey in height.  These  are checked every 3 months by the Electrical Contractors and detail of this check is recorded in a Log Book on site.  These log books are checked by the Council's electrical team on a  regular basis.

Emergency light and lighting upgrade and the installation of fire escapes were installed in the following senior citizens' complexes over the last 2 years.

Balrothery Estate, Tallaght,

 St. Maelruans, Tallaght

Rathlawns, Rathcoole 

Sarsfield Close, Lucan

Willsbrook Park, Rathfarnham

Limekiln Green, Walkinstown

Tymonville Park , Tallaght

 Park Mhuire, Saggart

All fire alarms are checked annually under a Service Contract.