Inadequate fire safety measures: Is it worth the risk?

Fire safety is one of those things that often gets overlooked, nothing to worry about if you’re careful, but the risks of not having the appropriate measures in place can be detrimental. 

As the owner, occupier or controller of a premises, you have a duty of care to protect anyone who steps foot on it. Your responsibilities go beyond just checking whether the lights have been switched off each night.

It’s your job to carry out assessments and identify risks, establish and maintain appropriate measures, plan for emergencies, and provide staff with the relevant information, instructions and training to effectively handle an emergency should they need to. 

Your fire safety measures will also need to be reviewed regularly to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. 

What happens if I don’t follow fire safety regulations?

There are 3 scenarios of what could happen:

You get lucky. Local fire and rescue authorities have no reason to inspect your premises and you never experience a fire-related emergency. The authorities inspect your premises and issue a fire safety notice. In minor cases, fire safety officers will provide guidance on how to secure the premises, but the penalty can be much more severe if higher risks are identified. The unthinkable happens and there’s a fire on your premises. A serious emergency can cause injury, smoke inhalation and even death. The monetary aspect of a fire emergency must also be considered. A fire can seriously disrupt business operation, cause damage to property and equipment and open you up to insurance claims.

The odds

In the year ending June 2020, the Fire & Rescue Services attended 549,913 incidents, 28% of which were fires. This was a 4% decrease from the previous year. There were also 231 fire-related fatalities.

The penalty

The penalty for not following fire safety regulations is more than just a slap on the wrist. Minor offences can have a fine of up to £5,000, whereas the fine for major offences have no limit. Serious cases can also result in a prison sentence of up to 2 years!

What we do

At Scope, we understand that running a business is hard. Running a business whilst ensuring the safety of your employees and visitors is even harder. It’s our job to take that burden away from you.

We’re experts in the complexities of fire safety regulations, offering everything from the initial fire risk assessment through to design and installation of fire detection and fire suppression systems. We also offer ongoing maintenance and monitoring contracts, providing you with a one-stop fire protection solution.

For more information:

Visit our website: www.scopefireandsecurity.co.uk

Call: 0330 0884647

Email: [email protected]