Norwich is one of the cities across the UK which has been carrying out repeat fire risk assessments on its high-rise blocks as a result of the terrible fire in Grenfell Tower. They have been very open in publishing the results of the risk assessments and the local press has reported the results. The council has eight blocks, and previously, the risk assessments reported all of them to be of medium or low risk. However, that was back in 2013 and 2014. While there is no legal requirement to carry out fire risk assessments at set intervals, the council confirmed that all fire risk assessments were reviewed after a period of one year.

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Results of the new assessments

The results of the assessments were interesting. Clutter was noted on landings and communal areas in more than one of the blocks. The fire service is always reminding people that good housekeeping is essential in stopping fires spreading. Some doors were damaged, as were some letterboxes, which would make them less able to keep fire out. In fact, those blocks that don’t have fireproof letterboxes are being retrofitted with them by the council. It was noted that in one of the blocks there were large gaps around the lobby door frames.
Rubbish bays can be places where accidental or arson-inspired fires begin and the council has recommended fitting automatic sprinklers in these bays. Where tower blocks already had sprinkler systems installed, some of them were found to be in need of maintenance. In one of the blocks, it was noted that because of vandalism and theft problems, there were no public fire extinguishers available.

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Doormats not a good idea

Where doormats have been placed outside flat doors, the fire service has recommended that they are taken away because of course, they provide fuel for a fire.
The Regulatory Reform Order (2005) was the legislation that changed the whole fire safety scene and brought in the concept of fire risk assessments –http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/contents/made. Fire risk assessment in Gloucester, like its Norfolk counterpart, has to follow the approach that is laid down in this legislation. At each premises, a responsible person has to engage a “competent person” http://www.keloscape.co.uk to carry out a fire risk assessment.

And it’s often not appreciated, that both self-employed people and organisations in the voluntary sector also come under this regulation.

The thing about marketing efforts is that they can always be improved upon – they can always be more effective and garner more conversations. Luckily, with a franchise, most of the marketing is built in for you, especially if you have a particularly iconic logo or franchise name – especially if your parent company already has a multi-million dollar annual advertising budget to promote your product or services. However, on a local level, it is still important to get the word out about your particular franchise outpost, especially if you are a new outpost or off the beaten path. Here are five ways to improve upon your franchise marketing efforts.

1. Join forces with other franchisees. In most cases, a certain franchise will service a particular community. In most cases, a consumer won’t go out of their way to visit another town’s franchise, so you don’t need to worry about competition. Plus, you are all working for the same team. This is the reason why joining forces with other franchise owners can be such a boon for your marketing efforts. You can pool resources, capital, contacts and even ideas to improve upon your collective franchise marketing campaigns.
2. Use the power of the local news media. If you are a new franchise or if you have a new product, you want to get the attention of the news media. The news media can be a powerful ally to have when it comes to boosting your presence, especially in a local environment or demographic. So, you may want to think of a clever way to get the attention of the local news – the whole idea is to get the vans parked outside of your business. By taking this route, you will notice growing sales and revenue.
3. Come up with a viral campaign. When thinking of marketing ideas for your business, you may also want to think of a way to create a viral video that will be shared by millions of people. Viral marketing can be an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to getting exposure for your franchise. In most cases, all you need is a smart idea. It could be a twenty-second video of your employees dancing or a funny riff about one of your products – anything that will get people’s attention.
4. Place banners, advertisements and other materials in your store. If you have a new product on the menu or a new service, it will be hard for people to know about it if the product or service isn’t advertised anywhere. So, you may want to think about getting some banners and advertisements made. This can be a great way to boost the sales of a new product or increase sign ups for a new service.
5. Boost your social media presence. Social media is a powerful medium because it connects you directly with consumers. If you want consumers to be constantly up to date about what is going on with your business, social media can be your optimal portal. In the end, every franchise should have a strong social media presence.

Dancers are generally renowned for their physiques, including fantastic overall muscle tone and a long, lean silhouette. But in addition to excellent overall form and proportion, dancers are often best known for their muscular legs, not to mention perfectly-rounded glutes. And if you’re looking for ripples of cellulite, good luck finding them on a dancer’s body. The point is that dancers work hard to become the masters of their bodies and it shows in their physical appearance. Luckily, you don’t have to become a professional dancer in order to look like one. All you have to do is adopt the physical fitness routines that dancers subscribe to, or at least develop a regimen that offers similar results. And a healthy dose of dedication will be required, as well. Here are just a few exercise options that will soon have the average man on the street confusing you with a dancer.

1. One of the best exercise regimens designed to develop the long, lean musculature that dancers are famous for is Pilates. Not only does proper practice ensure that all of your muscles are working together through targeted movements and special attention to form, but the exercises involved are meant to work your muscles in specific ways. The end result is that you’ll experience overall strength and tone. In addition, your muscles will be long and strong, rather than bulky, giving you the lithe look of a dancer. And a focus on core strength will help you to stand taller and improve posture, another hallmark of the dancer’s physique.
2. A dancer’s body is characterized by overall tone, and this is something that can be difficult to accomplish with your standard exercise regimen. In truth, you’ll probably have to perform a variety of different exercises if you want to accomplish what a dancer does. But if you’re looking for one workout to rule them all, so to speak, you can’t really go wrong with the whole-body resistance training offered by swimming. And the fact that it’s easy on your joints means you won’t find yourself suffering the sprains, strains, fractures, and other impact-related injuries that are part and parcel of a dancer’s existence.
3. Toning your muscles won’t really make you lean unless you pair it with weight loss (or maintenance if you’re already a healthy weight). And keep in mind that any time you start building muscle you’re bound to gain a bit right off the bat. For this reason, you may want to include cardio as part of your exercise regimen, whether you jog, do aerobics, or hit up the elliptical machine for 30 minutes a day, 3-5 times a week (or more if you’re trying to lose weight).
4. Weight training. Many people harbor the misconception that weight training is the same as bulking, but this is not the case. Bulking requires you to incrementally increase the weight you lift in concert with a high-calorie, high-protein diet. So if you don’t want to bulk, you don’t have to. But in order to strengthen and tone muscles, you’re going to have to work them and the best way is through targeted weight training. If you’re not sure how to do this on your own or you aren’t keen to fill your home with equipment, join a gym like Gold’s orFitness 19 that can offer you the facilities, equipment, and personal trainers to help you reach your fitness goals.
5. Dance classes. The thing that dancers do that most people don’t is dance. So if your health and fitness goals include looking like a dancer, there’s no better way than to add dance classes to your routine. You can sometimes find classes offered at gyms where you hold a membership, but you might also sign up at a dance studio, look for courses at your local community college or through the community center, or simply buy fitness videos that offer dance routines.

Buying a used car can be a surreal experience and you’ll often meet more tricksters than people who are actually trying to sell you a decent car. This is the reason why it is so critical to have a few car shopping tips – so that you know exactly what direction to take and how to avoid driving off the lot with a total lemon. The first thing you need to know is that you should always be cautious. Even if a certain dealership has great reviews, you still want to keep a number of crucial factors in mind. Here are five important things to keep in mind when buying a used car.

1. The true age of the engine. Some consumer reports suggest that used car sellers are placing cheaper engines inside vehicles and then tampering with the odometer to make it look like the car hasn’t been driven that often. This little fraudulent move can cost you a lot of money and time. So, make sure that you have the engine and the odometer inspected for changes. You can also ask quite bluntly whether anything has been altered.
2. Your instinct will undoubtedly let you down. Buying a used car isn’t one of those things where you can utilize the power of divine intervention – you can never tell yourself that a car “feels” good. A car is a mechanical object and just because you can’t see any major issues, it doesn’t mean they aren’t lurking just beneath the surface. So, make sure that you do a top to bottom inspection. In the end, your intuition is not a mechanic and it won’t know whether a car is a dud or not.
3. How much will you be driving? This is an important consideration to make, because if you are driving a vehicle for a regular commute, you probably want a newer used vehicle. Some older, classic vehicles may fair better for a weekend jaunt into town instead of the daily grind.
4. The true value of the vehicle. There is a true value of vehicles and then there is the inflated value. To protect yourself from getting duped by a used car dealer, you want to research the actual value before you head to the lot. There could be minor cosmetic issues that could take the vehicle from “mint condition” to “very good condition” – both have different valuations.
5. The reputation of the dealer. Many people focus on the condition of the vehicle – whether it’s in good shape or has a fair price – but they don’t often think about the person selling the car. So, make sure that you look up reviews about the dealership, the dealership owner and so on. If everything checks out and the reviews are good, it is pretty safe to say that you are in good hands.

As people begin to age, it’s not uncommon for them to have a decrease in bone density. And when this happens, sometimes it can result in their bones becoming so fragile that certain parts of their body require surgical attention; especially in cases like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis where sometimes it can be painful to do day-to-day activities.

If this is something that you or a loved one has been battling with and a doctor has recommended hip replacement surgery in order to remedy the situation, it’s important that you know about the things that you should do as you prepare for the surgical procedure. So, we have provided you a list of what should be done six weeks to the day before your surgery; just so that you can be well-prepared.

Six weeks before surgery. You might find it interesting that we’re starting out six weeks prior to a hip replacement surgery, but the reality is that even then, there is a lot to do. You should schedule your pre-op visit at the hospital. You should check with your insurance company to confirm what they’ll be covering. You should speak with the individuals who will be assisting you at home during the first couple of weeks after your surgery. You should also start doing some strengthening exercises. It will help to speed up the recovery process if you do.

Three weeks before surgery. Once you reach approximately three weeks before your surgery, it is then time to actually go to your pre-op appointment. It’s also a good idea to start getting your home ready for your recovery. Remember, if you live in a house that has stairs and your bedroom happens to be on the second floor, you’re definitely going to need to temporarily move downstairs. Climbing is something that you’re not going to be able to do for several weeks.

Two weeks before surgery. Two weeks prior to your surgery, it’s now time to stock up on menus/meals that will be easy for you and those taking care of you to prepare. If you have a pet, you should arrange for a family member or friend to care for them. Also, if you’re planning on recovering at someone else’s house, arrange for your mail and newspapers to either be picked up by a neighbor or for the delivery to be temporarily suspended. (Keep in mind that you should still be doing your exercises during this time.)

One week before surgery. If your doctor has provided you with reading material or videos to watch in order to prepare you for the surgery or to educate you further on things like the direct anterior approach , make sure to that you take advantage of all of the information. It will help to ease your mind a week before the procedure. Also, this would be the time to pack your bag for the hospital stay. And, if you happen to catch a cold or flu during this time, alert your physician. You need to be in ideal health going into the surgery.

The day before surgery. The day before your surgery, make sure that you have picked out something comfortable to wear, that you have confirmed who will be taking you to the hospital and that you have followed all of the instructions that your doctor provided about what you should eat or drink before arriving to the hospital. All of these things will make the day of your surgery easier. For more information on hip replacement surgery and all that it entails, visit Web MD and put “hip replacement surgery” in the search field.