We have not "become" - we always were. Get over it regards Mrs Walker's doormat

There's not really enough information to make a call. What if they're all converted town houses, three or four storeys, single staircase? What if the entire estate comprises of hundreds of buildings of differing size and design? Might it be easier to administer with a blanket rule? What about security, what is the arson risk? Remember vertical flame spread is an order of magnitude faster than horizontal. smoke and toxic gases rise up stairwells and kill more than burns do.

Jon You view the past with rose tinted glasses I woz there too The respectable characters are still around ( many of them on this forum) The different creatures existed back then as now and they were a laughing stock, as they are now.

Safety Smurf I do not believe the fire risk assessor visualised smoke and flame spread either. I suspect it was a notional or fanciful exercise. One can purchase LSF mats nowadays. Jon

Sometimes there is more to this than meets the eye – I have started a new job with a high street retailer and we have accommodation above many premises and it’s a tidy revenue stream – in some case we insist on sterile communal escape routes – you have to or it’s the thin edge of the wedge syndrome – if you don’t you end up with dog kennels and all sorts (seen it). They don’t impede escape route they block them! There is nothing new here Fire Authorities have insisted on this for years. You may find that the reporter focused on the ‘furniture items’ for dramatic effect and perhaps did not report on many other items in the escape routes? Food for thought. You all know there are always two sides! And you know the one we get?

I have to disagree. There maybe different opinions about doormats, furniture and letterboxes in front doors, but is only one law governing fire safety and that involves completing a risk assessment. Managing the risk is surely an inherent part of completing a risk assessment. Zero tolerance is not mandated by any UK fire legislation which leaves the FRA to bring risks to tolerable levels IMHO the doormat issue is almost entirely one of a trip hazard, as other than arson - there are very few ignition sources and a light fire loading in the vast majority of communal staircases. I have completed scores of FRAs in flats and converted houses and found stacks of yellow pages which a tenant was about to deliver, prams & disabled scooters, plus an LPG BBQ. All pretty obviously not acceptable in a common stairway But a small domestic doormat? Where's the risk? Come on, this is someone's home!

MSSY A welcome reminder of what Fire and Safety Risk Management is all about. I salute you! Jon

I think Louise in the article is barking mad... But actually, depending on the type of mat they could have a point about trip hazards. I recently had 2 separate investigations to conduct within about 2 months of each other where employees tripped on mats. Both of which resulted in RIDDORs, one for a broken arm and the other a torn meniscal cartilage in the knee. In both cases the mats had raised edges (and the employees were in a hurry).

Very well said walker - never been any different and I guess never will be.

In my previous role as a Health and Safety Compliance office for a Housing Association,this would always lead to a lively debate.Not only the doormat issue (and plastic flowers and pictures hung on walls,prams and bikes),the type of paint that was used to paint communal areas,the fact that some people bought their own properties and changed the front door to something less than 30 minute fire rating (who is to pay for the new door?).In the 3 years from when I carried out a FRA on our communal areas,nothing was ever done about any of my findings as everyone in the decision making process had different ideas about what was right and wrong.They only decided to take action after an arson attack in a communal area. A decison was finally made that all communal areas were to be clear (impossible to manage as Tenants always stored bikes,prams etc,we removed them,they asked for them to be returned,we oblige,items then stored in communal area again!).