Health and Safety Information

Keeping Everyone Safe

Asbestos

Asbestos only becomes a risk when the fibres become airborne. It will generally be released into the air if the material containing it is drilled, sanded, cut or broken. However this can also happen if it is in poor condition. When asbestos is in good condition and not damaged it is not a danger. Once disturbed and its dust gets into the air there is a possible risk to health.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name for a group of fibrous minerals which are mechanically strong and resistant to heat. It was a popular building material widely used between 1950 and 1999. Properties built since the mid-1990s, and particularly after 1999, are unlikely to contain asbestos.

What are the risks?

If left undisturbed and covered, it generally isn’t a risk. Asbestos only becomes dangerous when the material it’s in gets damaged or disturbed such as its cut or is drilled into during DIY. When this happens, tiny asbestos fibres can get released into the air, which can be breathed in.

How is asbestos identified?

It's not always easy to tell whether a product contains asbestos, as modern materials often look similar. The only way to be sure is through laboratory analysis. We have specialist UKAS surveyors who will inspect your home for asbestos if we believe it’s a risk. We will use UKAS specialist contractors to remove the items.

Water Safety

What do I need to know?

Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the legionella bacteria and is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. The bacteria is found in the natural environment but can be found in artificial water systems too, such as storage tanks, pipework, taps and showers. It’s normally found in bigger systems rather than ones for individual homes, but it can be found in residential accommodation.

What you can do

There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of legionella and stop people in your home from getting poorly:

If you have a shower that you don’t use often, turn it on every week and let the water run for a few minutes. Make sure you hold the shower head face down so it doesn’t spray near your mouth
If you’ve been away from home for more than two weeks, run your taps and showers before using them

Please contact us for advice if you notice:

the boiler or hot water tank in your home isn’t working properly
any discolouration or debris in your water supply
your cold water taps run with warm water

Keeping you safe in your home

If you’re worried about the risk of legionella or water safety at your home, Please give us a call on 0800 028 2755.

Gas Safety

What is gas safety?

If gas appliances are not checked and maintained then they can create a risk to safety. By law we have to carry out an annual safety check on any gas fittings that we have installed in your home.

What do we do to keep gas appliances safe?

Ensure all installations, maintenance safety checks and annual gas servicing are carried out by a Gas Safe Registered installer.

Complete a gas safety check and service on each relevant gas fitting/flue in your home every year.
Check all gas appliances/flues will be checked before a new tenant moves in.
We will keep a record of each annual safety check and service.
We will give you a copy of the Landlord’s Gas Safety Record for your home on completion of the safety check.

In between annual gas safety checks, if you have any concerns about gas safety, please contact us as soon as possible 0800 028 2755

Turning off gas

If you smell gas you should turn off your gas supply. Look for the Emergency Control Valve (ECV) and turn this to the ‘off’ position and call Gas Emergency Services immediately on:

0800 111 999 (This is a dedicated National Emergency Line)

Fire Safety

Following the terrible events at Grenfell, ACHA has undertaken a number of additional Fire Safety checks in relation to our properties in order to provide reassurance to our tenants.

We can confirm that the Association's cladding work on our buildings uses non-combustible materials that meet the current building regulations. In ACHA's time as a landlord we have had a handful of fires due to domestic incidents. There have been no fires in ACHA's stock which have involved cladding or have spread on the basis of any combustible material installed by ACHA. We liaise regularly with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and will assist tenants with referral to the Service for home fire safety visits.

It is important that everyone takes fire safety seriously and we urge all residents not to store combustible materials in and around common closes. Stairways, in general, must be kept clear to ensure that there is a clear means of escape should a fire occur.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service provide FREE home safety - these can be organised by:-

Calling 0800 0731 9999

Text FIRE to 80800