Ministerial Fires

It was recently reported that the London Fire Brigade were concerned that the Houses of Parliament were not subject to fire safety inspections. Despite 40 minor fires in four years there had been no action to improve structural building fire safety since 1950. Evening Standard Statements and denials ensued. The London Fire Brigade said they were not able to carry out formal inspections as the Crown is exempt from inspections. The House of Commons spokesman replied that a “rigorous programme of fire safety inspections were in place and regular fire drills were carried out to protect its staff and the public”. This story highlights a serious point about the importance of establishing and maintaining fire safety arrangements to prevent fires and/or the consequences of a fire. Fires occur because these things are overlooked. It is a legal requirement to have appropriate fire safety arrangements in place in all workplaces. There are over 25,000 workplace fires each year. 1,500 people are injured and 25 people are killed. [Source: Fire Protection Association FPA]. What Fire Safety actions do you need to take as an employer or owner of a building? First, you need to carry out a fire risk assessment Arinite Fire safety Advice. The main aim is to identify:

• Your fire hazards
• Who could be harmed
• The control measures required to reduce the risk of a fire occurring and its consequences.

Then you need to make sure that the control measures you have identified are implemented and monitored. If you follow these steps the chances of your workplace being added to the annual statistics will be significantly reduced or eliminated. Fire Prevention in our Homes Although the legal requirement does not extend to our homes, the same principles of fire prevention should be applied. Over 500 people a year are killed in home fires in the UK. Many of these fires could have been prevented by following basic fire safety precautions. Further useful information and advice can be found at Fire Safety at Home. Contact us We have developed innovative ways to carrying out fire risk assessments which results in practicable and affordable solutions. The aim is to comply with legislation so that you can carry on your business safely yet without hindrance. If you need to call upon our expert assistance, or just for an informal chat, please call me on: mobile 0780 361 2948, office 0207 947 9581, or drop me a line at [email protected]. Bryan Richards 29^th November 2012 Arinite Ltd, Warnford Court, 29 Throgmorton Street, London EC2N 2AT