IFEDA press release: jailing of fire risk assessor

Don’t risk your business reputation

The recent prosecution of a Fire Risk Assessor, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, acts as a stark warning for those businesses not complying with fire regulations, and particularly for those companies offering fire risk assessments as part of their business operations.

IFEDA, The Independent Fire Engineering and Distributors Association, continues to champion for 3rd party accreditation for this important aspect of fire safety. Clear precise guidelines allowing fire risk assessors to demonstrate their expertise, experience and competence would undoubtedly offer consistency and re-assurance throughout the fire safety industry.

Colin Payne, Chairman of IFEDA says “It is a sobering thought for anyone who undertakes fire risk assessments that the outcome could result in a criminal record. IFEDA is committed to raising standards within the fire industry and we continue to push for 3rd party accreditation; this unfortunate incident proves that such 3rd party accreditation can’t come quickly enough.”

A comprehensive written fire risk assessment enables businesses to act upon any shortfalls, and crucially provides written documentation that this essential part of fire safety planning has been undertaken. Payne continues “Any fire protection company who undertakes fire risk assessment, or uses a sub-contractor to do so, must look at the competency of the individuals providing them.”

IFEDA, as an independent trade association, promotes quality standards and procedures within the fire safety industry.

Further details can be found at www.ifeda.org or by emailing info@ifeda.org.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:
IFEDA (the Independent Fire Engineering and Distributors Association) was formed in 1989 with the key aim of promoting professionalism and quality standards within the fire safety industry.

IFEDA run fire training courses and provide support on fire safety issues, in addition to publishing the quarterly newsletter, Fire Talk, which keeps members up-to-date with relevant legislation changes, and recent prosecutions.

In May 2011 the IFEDA Dry riser course was ‘highly commended’ in the Best Training Initiative category of the Fire Excellence Awards 2011.

Further details can be found at: www.ifeda.org.

For media information, images and interviews contact:

Kay Pendell-Smith
ps marketing

Tel: 01296 394729

First fire risk assessor jailed for breaches of the FSO.

A fire risk assessor and a hotel manager have been jailed for eight months for breaches of the FSO.
David Liu, who runs The Dial Hotel and Market Inn, both in Mansfield, had previously pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to 15 offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, while John O’Rourke of Mansfield Fire Protection Services pleaded guilty to two offences under the legislation. The Judge said that the time had come to send out a message to those who conduct fire risk assessments, and to hoteliers who are prepared to put profit before safety.
Officers from Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service visited both hotels as part of a routine inspection. They found that both premises were being used to provide sleeping accommodation on the upper floors and that fire precautions, which should have been provided to safeguard the occupants in the event of a fire, were inadequate.
Due to the serious risk to life, they issued prohibition notices preventing any further use of both premises for sleeping accommodation until suitable improvements had been made.
Mr O’Rourke was prosecuted because he had prepared fire risk assessments for both premises. However, the prosecution stated, that the fire risk assessments failed to identify a number of significant deficiencies which would have placed the occupants at serious risk in the event of a fire.
The offences (common to both hotels) which Mr Liu, as the responsible person, pleaded guilty to were:
a. A lack of a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment
b. A failure to ensure effective means of escape with doors leading onto corridors not being fire resisting or having self-closers fitted
c. A failure to ensure that emergency routes and exits were provided with emergency lighting
d. A failure to ensure the premises were equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment, detectors and alarms in that there was no fire detection within the bedrooms
e. A failure to ensure that equipment and devices provided were subject to a suitable system of maintenance in that the fire alarm system, emergency lighting system and firefighting equipment were not tested.
In addition at the Dial Hotel, officers found both staircases from upper levels terminating in the same ground floor area with no alternative escape routes or separation, a locked fire exit door, and exit routes obstructed by combustible materials.
The other offence at the Market Inn related to a missing fire door and a window not being fire resisting.
As well as jailing Mr. Liu he was also ordered to pay costs of £15,000.
John O’Rourke, as a person other than the responsible person who had some control of the premises, pleaded guilty to two counts (one for each hotel) of failing to provide a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. He was also ordered to pay costs of £5,860.

IFEDA concerned at neglect of fire safety

An article in the Sunday Independent reveals that fire safety is being neglected.

Firms charged with the upkeep of blocks of flats – known as managing agents – could be putting occupants at risk, according to a leading property management company.
By law, any block of flats with common areas should undertake health and safety and fire risk assessments, typically on an annual basis, and have electrical installations assessed every five years. The property must also be surveyed for asbestos and, if found, monitored regularly.
However, property firm Urban Owners has found that 56 per cent of flats in the UK do not undergo a fire risk assessment, and up to 93 per cent do not have their electrics tested. More than 80 per cent of properties had never been inspected for asbestos.
“The lax attitude of many managing agents towards safety is unacceptable,” said Steve Wylie, director of property firm Urban Owners. “Unprofessional firms are routinely neglecting their legal responsibilities.”
There are an estimated 1.8 million flats and properties in the UK which are owned on a leasehold basis and are overseen by managing agents.
IFEDA wonders if, as well as having to have the correct and adequate insurance cover in place managing agents shouldn't also have to prove competency in H & S issues (including fire risk assessments) too?

IFEDA - Extinguisher Technician Refresher Course - Glasgow

There will be a one day extinguisher refresher course in at the Holiday Inn Express, West Nile Street, Glasgow on Tuesday 20th September 2011.

The cost of the course for Non- IFEDA members £162 + vat.

Please note the IFEDA extinguisher training courses are recognised by BAFE as per BS5306-3 : 2009 annex A.

The cost of the course includes; comprehensive training manual, certificate and refreshments.
To check any details re the syllabus please click here.
If you are interested in this course, in the first instance, please reply by email to grahamferris@ifeda.org

Cut-backs compromising safety?

The on-line newspaper 'this is Devon' reports:-

Government to cut funding for special fire alert sea teams

Funding to fight fires and tackle chemical spills off the coast of South Devon has been axed by the Government sparking warnings 'vital' at-sea emergency cover will end.
Whitehall officials have confirmed cash for specialist firefighting teams trained to deal with 999 maritime incidents has been slashed as part of a wide-ranging cost-cutting drive.
Fire chiefs have told MPs they expect crews will no longer be able to respond to emergencies aboard vessels, leaving significant areas of the UK coast without coverage.
Ministers have justified the funding cut by saying the teams have not been involved in any major incidents since being formed five years ago.
It comes at the same time as the Government plans to slash the number of coastguard stations and downgrade others. It is also proposed to scrap the provision of emergency tugs.
The raft of cutbacks is currently the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.
The Maritime Incident Response Group has teams drawn from 15 fire and rescue services including Cornwall, which covers the South West coastline.
They respond to incidents 'where there is risk to life or high environmental risk for which fire fighting, chemical hazard and/or rescue teams may be required'.
In written evidence to the Transport Select Committee, the Chief Fire Officers Association stated: "It is anticipated that individual MIRG FRSs will not be able to provide a response to these incidents if funding is withdrawn.
"On that basis there may be no provision for FRS deployment to vessels at sea within significant areas of the United Kingdom Search and Rescue Region."
Even if services decided to maintain provision, the association said there would be no 'integrated response' as currently exists.
In its submission, the group said: "The Fire Service provides a professional application to the role of firefighting at sea and has the pre-eminent capability to fulfil this role. This has been demonstrated at various incidents over the years."
It said of the response group: "The uniqueness of this project, the first of its kind in the world, culminated in the provision of an integrated, interagency national strategy for dealing with incidents in the maritime environment."
The association said: "This is a vital and much valued element of UK search and rescue providing an additional resource to UK maritime resilience."
An independent review was carried out into the work of the response group last year.
While it concluded there was no legal duty for the coastguard or rescue service to provide a response to fires onboard vessels 'at sea', it added: "The risk assessment has confirmed that a response is needed around most of the UK, to attend and contain vessel fires with the purpose of preventing loss of life."
It added that 'eliminating the provision is not considered an option' in the context of the identified risk.
Shipping minister Mike Penning has defended cutting cash to provide at sea fire cover.
He said: "Since the Maritime Incident Response Group teams began operating in 2006 they have not been involved in any significant incidents, which is why we announced during the Comprehensive Spending Review that we would be reviewing this funding stream."

IFEDA notes that in an era of cut-backs and budget restrictions, now more than ever (and irrespective of whether your propety is situated on land or at sea) it is the time to ensure that appropriate fire extinguishers are installed and maintained by a competent person, your fire risk assessment is up-to-date and fire alarms are functioning as required. IFEDA has third party accreditied members across the UK who can help - some also offering a marine facility.

IFEDA IS RIDING HIGH AS TRAINING INITIATIVE IS SHORTLISTED

The Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association (IFEDA) is delighted to have been shortlisted in the Best Training Initiative category of the renowned Fire Excellence Awards 2011.

Committed to raising standards within the fire industry, IFEDA was shortlisted for this prestigious award, in recognition of their new, ground breaking dry riser training course. Having identified a clear gap in the marketplace for an approved dry riser maintenance course that not only tested the theory of dry risers, but also the practical elements of servicing them, they successfully brought to market a suitable course that could be measured against BS9990: 2006. A purpose-build dry riser stack was commissioned and built by IFEDA member Giles Payne. Payne come up with a stack that comprised all the necessary components, enabling it to be charged with water to the required pressure, allowing technicians to be assessed on the practical servicing of dry risers as required in the British Standards six monthly and annual checks.

The purpose built dry riser stack (right), designed to provide practical hands on experience and assessment of dry riser technicians.

Graham Ferris, General Manager at IFEDA, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for an award that has a huge amount of competition. The dry riser course has proved so popular that we’ve had to triple the number of times we were due to run it this year.

The introduction of this course is part of the continuing commitment of IFEDA to raising standards within the fire industry.” The two day course which includes theory, one-to-one practical tuition, together with an examination, is available to both IFEDA members and non-members.

Further details of the course can be found at http://www.ifeda.org/ or by emailing info@ifeda.org.

Care Home Manager Fined: Breach of FSO

Following the successful prosecution of a fire alarm technician (see this blog 24th December 2010) there have been further developments i.e:- A CARE home manager who was in charge when a fire alarm was silenced during a blaze has been convicted of a safety breach. Karen Sykes, 41, of Brooklands Road, Sale, appeared before Manchester Crown Court under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 following the fire at Oldfield Bank Residential Care Home in Highgate Road, Altrincham. The court heard how fire broke out in May 2009 when Sykes was duty manager. The fire alarm went off at about 6pm, the alarm was silenced but Sykes failed to ensure that a proper search of the premises was carried out. A fire was later discovered in room 25 and a 999 call was made at about 7.15pm. The alarm was discovered in 'silence' mode when crew from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service arrived to tackle the blaze. Elderly resident Beryl West died following the fire and an inquest into her death is scheduled to be heard by Stockport Coroner in April. In sentencing Sykes, who was fined £500 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15, Judge Justice Lakin said: "My duty is clear. I have to apply the law. As the manager of the care home it was Sykes responsibility for the fire alarm and evacuation." Previously fire alarm engineer Christopher Morris, 56, of Llandudno, North Wales, has already been sentenced in relation to the same incident and was ordered to pay £5000, with £6000 being awarded to the Authority. Assistant County Fire Officer from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Peter O'Reilly said: "This case clearly highlights and enforces the message that employees have a duty to ensure the safety of the people they are looking after. This type of behaviour simply isn't acceptable and we should not forget that an elderly resident in Sykes care died that night."This is the first time an employee has been prosecuted under this legislation, as opposed to the employer, and I am proud of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue for bringing this about." IFEDA fully supports Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue and all other fire authorities in their efforts to enforce all aspects of the FSO.