Former restaurant manager fined following fire safety breaches

Prosecutions by Fire Brigades are snow balling and becoming more common place since the introduction of The Fire Safety Order in 2006. We have also seen the first custodial sentences involving serious beaches of the legislation. One of the most common features of successful prosecutions is failure to undertake a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment; lack of fire training is also now becoming more of an identified deficiency where previously under The Fire Precautions Act 1971 lip service at best was paid to employee instruction. Fines are also on the increase notably the massive penalty imposed on Shell this year. In several cases ignorance has been pleaded as part of the defence and quite rightly thrown out. Once again a strong message sent out to ALL employers regarding their obligation for “due diligence” no matter what their industry and size. If you are fortunate enough to be advised of your deficiencies do not under any circumstance ignore the advice of the enforcing authority unless you are prepared to go to court and challenge…

Andy O
info@firesafetyoa.co.uk