Fire Consultancy warns of risk of ignoring fire safety law.
A local fire safety consultancy is warning business about the risk of ignoring fire safety legislation.
Mike Ablitt of Unicorn Fire and Safety Solutions Ltd, a Shropshire based fire safety consultancy, says that large numbers of business owners are leaving themselves exposed to potential enforcement action through failing to comply with current health & safety law.
Mike says’ The Fire Safety Order has been in place for 13 years now, but our experience is that over half of local business are falling well short of compliance.
Any workplace must undertake a fire risk assessment and ensure that their premises have adequate fire precautions. This should include measures to prevent a fire in the first instance, ensuring people can get out if a fire does occur and providing staff with adequate training.
Businesses that do not do this not only run the risk of legal action being taken by the fire service, but they may well find they have compromised the terms of their insurance policies. In any event, if an employee or member of the public is injured in a fire and it transpires that the fire safety arrangements fell short, the responsible person is wide open to litigation.
The government have provided a set of guides for all types on business obtainable for the Stationary Office or free to download form https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/fire-risk-assessments.
Alternatively there are numerous local fire agencies such as our own that can help. In any instance, if you are in doubt, you really should check with your local Fire Brigade fire safety department.
It is no use waiting till it’s too late!
Mike
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