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Topic: Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk
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Posted by: Raymond Havelock
Date/Time: 15/11/15 10:50:00

This is the official Fire safety advice for residential wheelie bins.
Sent to me from a colleague in Cheshire Fire service but most others also offer the advice.

This has come about because of the huge increase in fires in rubbish bins in the North of England.

Another fact ignored by Hounslow Council.

Should a wheelie bin fire damage your property, your insurance may well not cover the damage as if too close to your home and not following fire safety recommendations could void it.

The council and Councillor cabinet member ( in this case Cllr. Mann - who elects to ignore the advice and as a multiple landlord should be fully aware) may well be liable as the bin is council property.
If they ignore appeals on safety grounds and the worst happens, then they will be fully liable.

In the case of Wheelie bins being in terrace houses with frons lest than 3m deep this places the vast majority of bins within 1 metre of a door or window and within arms lenght of a passer by.

This makes the fire risk extreme.

So courtesy of Cheshire Fire service.

Wheelie bin - fire safety tips

Help to prevent bin fires by following these tips:

Do not place hot items in the bin, for example:  smoking materials, hot embers from coal/wood, hot ash, etc

Do not store rubbish or wheelie bins/refuse containers by windows or doors - any fire in the bin could easily spread to your property.

Do not store your wheelie bin/refuse containers in close proximity to a building.

Do not overfill your wheelie bin/refuse containers or leave loose rubbish around them.

Whenever possible, wheelie bins/refuse containers should be stored securely behind locked gates.

Only place your wheelie bin out on collection day. Return it to your property as soon as possible after collection. Do not leave your wheelie bin out at night.

Do not allow bins or rubbish to block escape routes

Don't let your bin become a target for arsonists
We would like to urge residents and businesses to store all bins away to avoid them becoming a target for arsonists.

This includes wheelie bins and refuse containers.

Please store them away, especially at night.

Please take extra care to make sure that rubbish does not pile up close to buildings


Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk15/11/15 10:50:00 Raymond Havelock
   Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk19/11/15 16:04:00 Raymond Havelock
      Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk19/11/15 16:29:00 Martin Case
   Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk19/11/15 17:23:00 Anne England
      Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk19/11/15 18:11:00 Alan Branch
         Re:Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk19/11/15 19:02:00 Philippa Bond
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk20/11/15 09:41:00 Raymond Havelock
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk21/11/15 11:18:00 Philippa Bond
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk21/11/15 15:52:00 Raymond Havelock
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Wheelie Bins: Fire safety hazard & insurance risk28/11/15 11:26:00 Philippa Bond

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