IDS Fire Safety Works
Delivered for Industrial Dwellings Society
Project introduction
Lawtech managed fire safetyworks across Evelyn Court and Navarino Mansions, on behalf of Industrial Dwellings Society.
Scope of Works
Lawtech managed the installation of 823 FEDs across Evelyn Court and Navarino Mansions. There was one supervisor and 10 installers at Navarino Mansions and the same number at Evelyn Court. This project finished on time with no delays, and was extremely well received by residents and IDS.
Evelyn Court
At Evelyn Court, a group of 10 residential blocks in Hackney, Lawtech acted as the Principal Contractor on a project involving the installation of 343 fire doors and fire-stopping works. This comprised 215 Gerda FEDs from their TCR Contemporary Range and 128 Gerda FD 60 doors.
Navarino Mansions
At Navarino Mansions, 480 doors were replaced in all and extensive fire-stopping measures were implemented. Flat doors were replaced with Gerda TCR steel-framed FD 30 doors. Gerda-accredited, BM TRADA Q-Mark certified installers and supervisors fitted the doors and were managed throughout by Lawtech’s site management team.
Challenges
Working around residents
This included working within residents’ flats while undertaking intrusive fire-stopping works.
Vulnerable and elderly residents
This was carefully managed by our Customer Service Team, ensuring individual circumstances were considered and suitable support implemented.
Coordinating works to minimise disruption
This included managing multiple workstreams and trades. Experienced Site Management staff ensured all workstreams/trades adhered to programme requirements.
Resident Liaison
Due to the intrusive nature of the works, it was essential that a Resident Liaison Officer was on-site throughout the contract. This ensured residents were kept informed throughout, allowing Lawtech to respond to any queries or concerns early on to mitigate any potential unrest.
Resident liaison included an open day during pre-construction to explain the works thoroughly to residents. This was followed up with face-to-face resident meetings at their homes, organised at mutually-convenient times. In addition to this, the RLO arranged coffee mornings and other events, providing yet more opportunities to discuss the works. They oversaw the works and collected KPI data.
Lawtech provided services to the elderly residents who were unable to move furniture, etc. in order for the internal fire-stopping works to be carried out. In addition, at Evelyn Court the project RLO sat with an elderly resident who had dementia whilst works were carried out on her flat, keeping her calm and informing her of what was going on. The RLO also made her cups of tea.
One resident had a number of issues including severe anxiety and OCD. These issues had been exacerbated following the death of his partner, and he struggled to sleep. As a result of this, we ensured the door installation for his property was later in the day than typically programmed. In addition, the project RLO noted his tendency to ‘supervise’ works to ensure they were undertaken to his satisfaction. As a result, an effort was made to ensure the installers were thoroughly briefed on this and told to remain patient.
