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Ignore fire regulations at your staff's own risk
The majority of employers are still risking costly court proceedings and even the lives of their
staff by failing to comply with complex new fire regulations more than four months after they were introduced.
The future of many businesses may be in danger if they do not take the necessary steps to meet the requirements
of the new regulations which are derived from an EU directive.
Many employers are still confused by, or even unaware of, the amendment to the Fire Precautions (workplace)
regulations 1997, which requires almost every work premises to carry out fire risk assessments, including those
that were previously exempt because they already had a current fire certificate.
Only a few workplaces such as mines and quarries are not governed by the regulations. Many companies are not
aware of their full implications and could therefore be putting their businesses and employees at risk.
They could find themselves facing costly court proceedings for failing to comply, or worse still, they may
have a major fire in which people are killed. Unlike other regulation changes there is no transitional period
with this, so employers were expected to comply straight away. Some companies will, however, have taken care of
fire risk assessments through their health and safety regulations inspections.
Many employers and owners are likely to have been confused about who is responsible for carrying out lire
risk assessments in communal parts of Multi-occupied buildings. The landlord is responsible for fire
risk assessments of common areas like staircases, plant rooms or boiler rooms and each employer in that building
is responsible for their own premises.
Light bulb sets off fire in store
A light bulb resting against cardboard boxes started a fire in a store room owned by a Hoddesdon electrical
store, destroying valuable stock. Hoddesdon firefighters rushed to tackle the blaze at the five by eight
metre building used for storing electric goods in Bell Lane, Hoddesdon, on Friday afternoon.
Firemen managed to rescue over two thirds of the stock, ranging from fridges to electric fans, which is sold
at Norris Electrical in Hoddesdon Tower Centre. An unknown amount of goods was destroyed by the fire, which
also severely damaged the roof and left the building smoke logged.
Owner Malcolm Norris of the well-established family business. said: "There was a small fire. It was
contained in the roof of the building. The fire brigade was very efficient in being able to deal wit the
fire without causing a lot of damage to stock." "As far as we know the fire was started by an electrical
light bulb touching on some cardboard boxes. The loss of stock is basically down to electrical fans which were
being stored ready to sell in the summer. The cost is unknown."
Leading fireman Kenny Lee, said: "People from surrounding shops and the Tower Centre all rushed to help remove
the stock. It is a good example of the fire service dealing with salvage as much as firefighting." Mr Norris
added: "I would like to thank everybody for their help and to all the people who have offered me storage space."
A spokesman for Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue, said: "This is a rather unusual way for a fire to start but
we would ask people to be very careful storing anything combustible near to light or heat sources." "People
need to look around and check where and how they are storing things."
Copyright: Mercury News
How one sunbeam turned a tycoon's mansion to ashes
A BLAZE that caused millions of pounds damage to a tycoon's mansion was started by a freak accident
involving a towel and a shaving mirror. The unique chain of events that devastated the eight-bedroom home of
Sir Peter Michael, chairman of Classic FM radio, was explained by an expert.
The concave mirror acted as a magnifying glass, concentrating the sun's rays into a single point, said Berkshire's
fire brigade safety officer Greg Boys. At that point, the temperature rose to 200C, causing the towel to burst
into flames. Mr Boys said four factors had to combine to start the fire at the Grade 11 listed building near
Hungerford.
Firstly, the sun would have to be low enough to shine directly on the bathroom mirror. Then the mirror would
have to be in exactly the right position to direct the magnified rays on to the towel. Also, the towel would
have to he at the precise spot where the rays converged. Finally, there would have to be material nearby for
the fire to take hold. "A centimetre out in any of the first three factors could well have prevented the
fire from ever taking place," said Mr Boys. "It was a chance in a million."
Firemen hit on the mirror theory while investigating the blaze. Mr Boys added: "We had to wait for ideal
conditions so we could test that theory out. "Eventually, they all came together and we dashed over to
the house, set up the mirror and towel and waited to see what happened. "What we saw confirmed the
theory. The sun hit the mirror, converging on the towel, which was ablaze within minutes."
Sir Peter, 58, said: "It just makes you think how unfair life can be."
Copyright: The Express |
