How to report a safety occurrence

Barking and Dagenham Council have implemented a system enabling residents, staff and contractors to report all building safety incidents and risks that have caused, or if not remedied, are likely to cause:

• the death of a significant number of people
• serious injury to a significant number of people

The purpose behind this reporting is to ensure that the Building Safety Regulator can capture risks that could have a potential impact on fire and structural safety and helps them to assess what such risks may also mean for other buildings. This helps to improve safety standards, and promote safety-conscious culture change, and better practice in buildings across the country.

Residents: If you find it difficult to describe an incident, you are encouraged to submit photo or video evidence to help communicate what happened.

Contractors: Must report any MORs they witness or become aware of during their work, either through a designated reporting form or by notifying the site supervisor.

Staff members: Will be trained on the MOR process and encouraged to report any MORs they observe or are informed about, either through the internal reporting system or by directly notifying the Building Safety team.

When completing your form, you may also find it easier to upload a photo or video, for example if you find it difficult to describe an occurrence.

We will be notified that you have submitted a mandatory occurrence form.

Once we have received your form, we will then assess the submitted details to see if the occurrence notice you have reported meets the safety occurrence criteria.

When assessing, things we will consider include are:

• the factors that make up the notice
• if a mandatory occurrence and report must be submitted to Building Safety Regulator (BSR)
• if the incident has already been investigated
• if the report contains additional information relating to a previously raised incident
• if the information reported constitutes a complaint

If we agree that a notice or report is required, we will then submit your notice to the BSR. If so, we will then provide you with the mandatory notice reference number we are given, to confirm that the notice has been submitted. You can then quote this reference to us during any correspondence.

If we feel a notice is not required to be submitted, we will also contact you and you let you know the reason why. This could be because it has not met the risk criteria, and/or that it needs to be dealt with via a different route.

If you disagree with our decision you can follow our complaints process on our complaints and compliments page or you contact the Building Safety Regulator on the GOV.uk website.

What is and isn’t a mandatory occurrence?

This term must only be used for very specific types of risk and should not be used to report general repairs. See further information on our housing repairs page.

We must submit a mandatory occurrence notice for safety occurrences in your building, for fire safety or structural failure that resulted in, or is likely to result in, the death of a significant number of people. A safety occurrence is an incident involving, or a risk that could cause:

• structural failure of the building
• the spread of fire or smoke in the building

A safety occurrence is something which if not remedied, could cause serious harm to people.

Types of Incidents

Building safety incidents and risks include:

• structural failure of the building
• the spread of fire or smoke in the building
• major breakdown of the lift, causing injury or serious harm to a significant number of people
• failure of a critical fire safety measure, such as an automatic opening vent, smoke extraction, fire doors or smoke detectors

If in any doubt whether something is a mandatory occurrence or should be reported another way, please contact the Building & Fire Safety Lead at email fireandbsrcompliance@lbbd.gov.uk.

Barking and Dagenham Council's Approach to MOR

Barking and Dagenham Council will establish a dedicated MOR team to oversee the reporting and investigation process. The MOR policy will provide a clear and comprehensive approach, outlining the purpose, scope, and procedures for reporting occurrences related to fire and building safety. The policy emphasizes transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in promoting a culture of safety within the organisation.

The policy will also address the needs of residents requiring information in different formats, such as large text, easy read, braille, or audio.

Reporting to the Building Safety Regulator

Barking and Dagenham Council will report incidents or risks meeting the above criteria to the Building Safety Regulator by submitting a mandatory occurrence notice as soon as possible, and within 10 days of identifying the safety occurrence.

MORs in Relation to Fire and Building Safety

All MORs related to fire incidents, including fire outbreaks, fire safety system failures, and evacuation issues, will be reported. MORs related to building safety will include structural failures, hazardous material incidents, electrical system malfunctions, and issues with safety equipment. The MOR policy will provide clear guidelines on the types of occurrences that should be reported, ensuring a comprehensive reporting system.

Triage, Investigation and Reporting to the Building Safety Regulator

Triage: Upon receiving a MOR, the MOR team will assess the report to determine its severity and urgency.

Investigation: High-priority MORs will be immediately investigated by a designated team, while lower-priority MORs will be prioritized based on risk assessment. Investigations will be thorough, involving evidence gathering, interviews, and documentation analysis.

Reporting: A detailed report, including a summary of the incident, root causes, and learning outcomes, will be prepared and submitted to the Building Safety Regulator within 10 days, as specified by the Building Safety Act 2022. Relevant stakeholders, including residents, contractors, and staff, will be informed of the investigation findings and any actions taken.

This MOR process ensures that all occurrences related to fire and building safety are promptly reported, investigated, and communicated to the Building Safety Regulator, promoting transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in building safety practices.

Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (PDF, 116.36 KB)

What happens if we submit a notice

Once we have submitted a Notice to the BSR we will then have 10 days to submit a report.

Once the Notice has been submitted, we will begin to carry out an investigation.

We will aim to establish what happened (or had the potential to happen), and why. We may also need to put steps in place to reduce or remedy the issue.

We may need to contact you to request further details, to help us to establish how the occurrence was discovered, and whether anyone was injured.

Is the information confidential?

Yes. Information will be processed confidentially and in line with data protection principles. Other residents will be informed that there has been a report but will not be told the source. Your Building Safety Manager will need to know who submitted the information to request more information if needed, and to be able to report back to you.

Requesting an update on your report

The Building Fire & Safety Lead will be the point of contact for your reported safety occurrence. You can request an update at any time by making contact and quoting the Mandatory Occurrence Notice reference number.

When an investigation is concluded we will notify you, and the rest of the residents of the affected block, in writing.

Reviews

We will carry out annual reviews of our reporting system to make sure that it stays effective. If we need to make changes, we will consult with you, in line with our Resident Engagement strategy.

If you need any of the information contained in this procedure in a different language or an alternative format. For example, large text or braille, email residentsafetyengagement@lbbd.gov.uk.