Hoteliers are being warned to check fire safety equipment and procedures at their premises after The Belfry Hotel in Cheshire was fined £75k for breaching fire safety codes.
A routine visit (in April 2008) by the fire service to the 160-bedroom Hallmark Hotel revealed such severe safety issues that Fire Safety Officers closed the hotel immediately.
They found numerous faulty smoke detectors and substandard fire exits, while the hotel’s third floor failed to contain a single working fire alarm. Staff were also found to have not been properly trained in fire safety.
Lee Shears, manager for Community Fire Protection at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Fire safety is a key part of good business management and the Hallmark Hotel Group showed little or no regard for the safety of their guests or employees and the result was a prosecution.”
The Belfry Hotel pleaded guilty to three counts of serious breaches of the regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order at Chester Crown Court on Monday (4 October), paying £25k for each offence and £53k in costs.
Judge Elgin Edwards told the court that the legislation is there to ensure the protection of the public.
“For people who run hotels, fire security is particularly important,” he said. “This company carried on trading and taking guests when quite clearly these guests were put at substantial risk.”
The Belfry Hotel was given permission to reopen four days later after fixing fire safety problems and installing the required equipment.
IFEDA comment: If anyone is unsure of their responsibilities with regards to the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order IFEDA members are only to happy to help and advise especially with regards to Fire Risk Assessments BUT as the above case shows just don't ignore the problem, your local authorities will close buildings and prosecute when they deem it necessary. http://www.ifeda.org/regions.htm
Thursday, 7 October 2010
The dangers of candles
A HOUSE blaze, where a mother and her young son narrowly escaped injury, has prompted fire chiefs to issue a warning about the dangers of candles. Cleveland Fire Brigade crews were called to Hastings Way in Billingham last Friday night (1st ) after a candle is thought to have set fire to curtains in a living room. The occupants, a mother and her two-year-old son, both attended hospital for checks after the incident but were later released. Ian Harrington, District Manager for Stockton, said the incident highlighted the dangers of naked flames in the home and called for people to be extra careful. He said: “Candles can be a very quick way of seriously putting your life in danger if you don’t pay attention. Never leave them unattended. On this occasion this family was very lucky but on another occasion they might not have been so fortunate.”
Friday, 1 October 2010
Press release October 2010
IFEDA set the standards
As champions for standards within the fire industry, the fire association IFEDA have passed their ISO 9001: 2008 inspection. Adherence to ISO is a public commitment to IFEDA’s belief in quality standards, enabling it to provide the best service to members. As an independent audit, ISO demonstrates that IFEDA are achieving their goals.
Graham Ferris, General Manager says: “Passing this inspection demonstrates that as a trade association IFEDA are practising what we ask members to commit to. It is 3rd party recognition of the continuing standards we strive for in the industry.”
As an independent trade association that champions quality and service within the fire industry, IFEDA ask members to demonstrate their commitment to raising standards by passing ISO 9001: 2008 themselves. For members that fail to work towards this standard, membership is terminated. Eight members have had their membership terminated this year for failing to fulfil this commitment.
Graham Ferris continues “It’s unfortunate that a small proportion of memberships have been terminated, however when all members commit to raising standards within the industry and work hard towards this, non-compliance reflects badly on everyone.”
Details on the benefits of IFEDA membership can be found at: www.ifeda.org.
As champions for standards within the fire industry, the fire association IFEDA have passed their ISO 9001: 2008 inspection. Adherence to ISO is a public commitment to IFEDA’s belief in quality standards, enabling it to provide the best service to members. As an independent audit, ISO demonstrates that IFEDA are achieving their goals.
Graham Ferris, General Manager says: “Passing this inspection demonstrates that as a trade association IFEDA are practising what we ask members to commit to. It is 3rd party recognition of the continuing standards we strive for in the industry.”
As an independent trade association that champions quality and service within the fire industry, IFEDA ask members to demonstrate their commitment to raising standards by passing ISO 9001: 2008 themselves. For members that fail to work towards this standard, membership is terminated. Eight members have had their membership terminated this year for failing to fulfil this commitment.
Graham Ferris continues “It’s unfortunate that a small proportion of memberships have been terminated, however when all members commit to raising standards within the industry and work hard towards this, non-compliance reflects badly on everyone.”
Details on the benefits of IFEDA membership can be found at: www.ifeda.org.
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Firetalk - latest edition
Hi, the latest edition of the IFEDA newsletter 'Firetalk' can be found via this link http://www.ifeda.org/newsletter.htm
Happy reading
Happy reading
IFEDA on Twitter
good morning, if you were following IFEDA on twitter you will need to sign up again as I had to redo the page - thanks
Friday, 24 September 2010
RRO breaches : Latest case. £33,000 worth of fines.
Hotel 'put profit before safety'
Source Juliet Eysenck on Sep 24, Westminster Chronicle
A Paddington hotel accused of putting profit before safety has been fined for breaching fire regulations.
Two members of the public raised concerns after staying overnight at the Ventures Hotel in Sussex Gardens.
Fire officers then inspected the property and found a number of fire safety failings including blocked emergency exits, wedged open fire doors and no suitable or sufficient fire risk assessment.
They issued an enforcement notice detailing the issues and set a time frame for them to be remedied by.
Malik Mohammed Bashir, manager of Ventures Hotel in Sussex Gardens, and Awan Investments Ltd, which owns the hotel, denied 10 fire safety offences but were found guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.
District judge Michael Snow said the defendants were not concerned with the safety of staff and guests, and that the fire safety lapses showed the organisation prioritised profit over safety.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Bashir said: "This was an isolated incident and it happened so long ago.
"All the issues are resolved now.
"We had some redecoration work going on at the time, and if people are delivering materials, it's very difficult to stop them parking in front of the hotel and blocking emergency exits.
"One part of the hotel was closed at the time."
Awan Investments Ltd was ordered to pay £27,015 in fines and costs, while Mr Bashir was fined a further £5,015 for his role in the safety breaches on March 2, 2009.
Steve Turek, London Fire Brigade's assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, said: "The general public should feel safe from fire when they are staying at a hotel and the responsible person must make sure their premises comply with the regulations.
"All premises owners and operators must undertake a fire safety risk assessment."
Source Juliet Eysenck on Sep 24, Westminster Chronicle
A Paddington hotel accused of putting profit before safety has been fined for breaching fire regulations.
Two members of the public raised concerns after staying overnight at the Ventures Hotel in Sussex Gardens.
Fire officers then inspected the property and found a number of fire safety failings including blocked emergency exits, wedged open fire doors and no suitable or sufficient fire risk assessment.
They issued an enforcement notice detailing the issues and set a time frame for them to be remedied by.
Malik Mohammed Bashir, manager of Ventures Hotel in Sussex Gardens, and Awan Investments Ltd, which owns the hotel, denied 10 fire safety offences but were found guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.
District judge Michael Snow said the defendants were not concerned with the safety of staff and guests, and that the fire safety lapses showed the organisation prioritised profit over safety.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Bashir said: "This was an isolated incident and it happened so long ago.
"All the issues are resolved now.
"We had some redecoration work going on at the time, and if people are delivering materials, it's very difficult to stop them parking in front of the hotel and blocking emergency exits.
"One part of the hotel was closed at the time."
Awan Investments Ltd was ordered to pay £27,015 in fines and costs, while Mr Bashir was fined a further £5,015 for his role in the safety breaches on March 2, 2009.
Steve Turek, London Fire Brigade's assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, said: "The general public should feel safe from fire when they are staying at a hotel and the responsible person must make sure their premises comply with the regulations.
"All premises owners and operators must undertake a fire safety risk assessment."
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Chubb Fire Wins Appeal
If Chubb had lost the appeal detailed below the implications for every supplier of fire extinguishers could have been serious: a good day for all.
Court of Appeal: Chubb Fire wins appeal Re £240,000 extinguisher damage
In a landmark case, the Court of Appeal has held that a fire safety company was not responsible for the damage caused by vandals setting off a dry powder extinguisher, causing £240,000 worth of damage to a historic Lincolnshire church.
On Friday 1 September 2006, three teenage boys entered the unlocked and unoccupied medieval church of St Mary and St Nicholas in Spalding. The boys found a dry powder extinguisher in a small kitchen took it into the main part of the church and discharged it along the length of the nave, covering the fabric/furniture of the church and many expensive fittings.
In the original hearing at Nottingham County Court in January 2009, the judge found that Chubb Fire was liable for the damage, as it negligently failed to warn the church about the mess that a discharge would cause.
In a judgement delivered on 20 August, the Court of Appeal reversed the judge’s decision, saying that it even if a warning had been given by Chubb, there was no evidence that the church would have made a definite decision not to install the dry powder extinguisher. The court also held that it was not fair to hold Chubb liable for the deliberate and criminal actions of people over whom it had no responsibility, even if malicious discharge of an extinguisher was in some way foreseeable.
The church's insurers, Ecclesiastical Insurance, had brought the original claim in the name of the church.
Have a good day.
Court of Appeal: Chubb Fire wins appeal Re £240,000 extinguisher damage
In a landmark case, the Court of Appeal has held that a fire safety company was not responsible for the damage caused by vandals setting off a dry powder extinguisher, causing £240,000 worth of damage to a historic Lincolnshire church.
On Friday 1 September 2006, three teenage boys entered the unlocked and unoccupied medieval church of St Mary and St Nicholas in Spalding. The boys found a dry powder extinguisher in a small kitchen took it into the main part of the church and discharged it along the length of the nave, covering the fabric/furniture of the church and many expensive fittings.
In the original hearing at Nottingham County Court in January 2009, the judge found that Chubb Fire was liable for the damage, as it negligently failed to warn the church about the mess that a discharge would cause.
In a judgement delivered on 20 August, the Court of Appeal reversed the judge’s decision, saying that it even if a warning had been given by Chubb, there was no evidence that the church would have made a definite decision not to install the dry powder extinguisher. The court also held that it was not fair to hold Chubb liable for the deliberate and criminal actions of people over whom it had no responsibility, even if malicious discharge of an extinguisher was in some way foreseeable.
The church's insurers, Ecclesiastical Insurance, had brought the original claim in the name of the church.
Have a good day.
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