Safety at home

It’s important that you feel safe and secure in your home. On this page, you can find advice, information on how to reduce risks, and more details about how we can help. It includes guidance on fire safety, charging e-bikes, asbestos and water safety.

Fire Safety

Our Fire Safety guide shares more about how to reduce the risk of fires in your home, and what to do in the event of a fire.

Download our guide
An illustration of a fire extinguisher

Charging e-bikes and e-scooters

How to prevent fires and protect people you live with.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when charging e-bike or e-scooter batteries, and always unplug your charger when its finished charging.

• If a battery catches fire, don’t try to put it out. Get out, stay out, and call 999.

• Don’t charge e-bikes or e-scooters in hallways or other areas that contain escape routes

• Ensure you have working smoke alarms in areas where you are charging.

• Charge batteries when you are awake and alert, so you can respond quickly if a fire starts. Don’t charge batteries while you are sleeping or not at home.

For more information on e-bike and e-scooter fire safety, go to www.nfcc.org.uk/charge-safe.

Road bicycle illustration

Asbestos

Asbestos was a popular building material in homes for many years, but damaged asbestos can be harmful. Our asbestos handbook contains:

  • Information about the different types of asbestos.
  • Where you might find asbestos in your home.
  • How we reduce asbestos risks, and what you can do to stay safe.

If you have any concerns about asbestos in your home, please email HealthandSafety@syha.co.uk or call us on 0114 2900 200.

Download the handbook
 

Water safety

A clean water supply is vital to our health and wellbeing. However, most water systems contain bacteria and other organisms, and if these are allowed to multiply they can cause people to become ill. You may have heard of the most common and high-risk bacteria called Legionella.

Our handbook contains information about Legionella, and how to prevent outbreaks in your home.

Download the handbook