Landlord Fined £8,500 for not having a suitable Fire Risk Assessment.

Competency in Fire Risk Assessors.

A thought provoking article by Paul Bryant of Kingfell. Most Competent Fire Risk Assessors would agree with this.
Click on the link above.

Let me know what you think.

9 out of 10 fires extinguished by persons using Fire Extinguishers

Read the full article by clicking on the link.

Upheld Fine frrightens Business

A fine of £400,000 imposed on New Look was upheld on appeal. This will send shock waves around busineses who don't comply with Fire Safety requirements. See Link for full story.

This is a very interesting Video of a meeting of The London Assembly regarding Fire Safety and the duties of Responsible Persons.

What chance for the rest??

The government department that steers fire safety policy in England and Wales – has been served with an enforcement notice under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Click on the link above for the full story.

Businessman pays out six figure sum for fire safety breaches

And on and on and on and on. Please learn from this.

Landlord jailed for Fire Legislative Breaches

A lesson for all.

No evac plan? £40,000 fine

£40,000 fine for not having an Evacuation Plan

an innovative measure from Edinburgh

Uneployed Youths Trained as Concierge's with a Fire Safety remit.

Aberdeen Hospital Evacuated

Do you really need to buy a new Fire Door?

Some guidance on intumescent paints etc.

Holiday

Going on holiday tomorrow, ash cloud permitting. I will be bringing more news on my return.

HMO Landlord jailed

A Landlord of a House in Multiple Occupation was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Fire safety & other offences.

Institution of Fire Engineers AGM Scottish Branch

Scottish Branch Annual General Meeting 14th May 12.30pm  followed by a discussion:
Lessons Learned from the Scottish Fire Safety Legislation Implementation: next STEPS?
What has worked well?
What can we do better?
Next STEPS?
Brian Fraser, Head of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Advisory Unit will introduce the topic.

 

Looking forward to this. I will let you know how it went.

http://www.fia.uk.com/en/Information/Details/index.cfm/obj_id/3D9336CF-8A9A-4FD5-8C75ECE3CCE4FBA9

A new SI has been issued in England which makes the Responsible Person take into account the capabilities of staff when impsing RP duties on staff.

I will find out if this is to happen in Scotland and let you know.

Fire in Building with Sandwich Panels

A fire ripped through a vegitable processing plant in Fife on the 9th April 2010. All persons were able to evacuate the building. A wall collapsed destroying part of the building. See link for information on the dangers of Fires in buildings with "sandwich panels."

Free Guidance for Responsible Persons

Guidance for Responsible Persons
on False Alarm Management
of Fire Detection and Alarm Systems

Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010

For any readers from England. As far as I know, there are no plans to introduce this in Scotland.

Warning to complywith Fire safety Legislation.

Last year London companies paid over £1m in fines and costs for breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – further evidence to suggest that courts are taking issues of fire safety seriously. Fines have been imposed on both small businesses and individual landlords in the region, as well as international companies – such as Shell International (fined £300,000 for fire safety breaches) and high street retailer New Look which parted with over £500,000 in fines and costs – the largest fine to-date under the RRO after a serious fire at their Oxford Street premises in April 2007.

Although this relates to London, Scottish businesses should not be complacent as many breaches in Fire Safety requirements are being discovered daily.

Tesco breaches Fire Safety Law

Wedged open door can cost you £20,000

Fire rips though south London school - WATCH VIDEO

See video of a Fire in a London School.

And yet again.........

And yet again:
Go To: http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/landlord-tenant-and-restaurant-manager-convicted-of-fire-safety-offences

More Contraventions with Large Fines

Here we go again. As Bob Dylan says: When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.

Go To:

http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/landlord-tenant-and-restaurant-manager-convicted-of-fire-safety-offences?OmniTest_CampName=info4fire-editorial-09-04-10&OmniCamp_Name=info4fire-editorial-09-04-10&OmniWS_Name=info4fire.com&OmniWS_ID=265&OmniPR_Name=Newsletter_Info4Fire%20Weekly&OmniPR_ID=1506&OmniLink_Label=Landlord%2C%20tenant%20and%20restaurant%20manager%20convicted%20of%20fire%20safety%20offences&OmniDBG_URN=&OmniDBG_File_ID=&OmniSeg_Code=&OmniCC_Code=&OmniComp_Name=FIRE%20ISK%20LTD&OmniJob_Title=Managing%20Director&Omni_Source=

Another two pubs/ pub groups heavily fined.

Go To:

http://www.thefpa.co.uk/Resources/E-newletter+archive/March+2010/Two+pubs+and+a+haulage+firm+are+fined+for+fire+safety+breaches.htm

Fire safety not understood? Ain't that the truth?

This is from an enquirey in London but raises interesting points which are relevant to Scotland.
Worth a read. (Video footage avilable) Go To:

http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/fire-safety-order-responsibilities-not-properly-understood-inquiry-told?OmniTest_CampName=info4fire-editorial-26-03-10&OmniCamp_Name=info4fire-editorial-26-03-10&OmniWS_Name=info4fire.com&OmniWS_ID=265&OmniPR_Name=Newsletter_Info4Fire%20Weekly&OmniPR_ID=1506&OmniLink_Label=Fire%20Safety%20Order%20responsibilities%20'not%20properly%20understood'%20inquiry%20told%3A%20%5BWatch%20video%20coverage%5D&OmniDBG_URN=&OmniDBG_File_ID=&OmniSeg_Code=&OmniCC_Code=&OmniComp_Name=FIRE%20ISK%20LTD&OmniJob_Title=Managing%20Director&Omni_Source=

A reality check on enforcement | info4fire.com

A discussion from info4fire.com. Bob Docherty's comments will find alot of support from Fire Safety Consultants who have met this type of problem on numerous occasions. The counter argument would appear to be from an FSO with Enforcement Duties. A good example of the split in thinking between Consultants and Local Authority FSO's.

A reality check on enforcement | info4fire.com

Fire Safety Prosecutions

More Prosecutions in the Licensed Trade. Go to:

http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/pub-landlord-fined-for-fire-safety-breaches

http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/hotel-company-convicted-of-fire-safety-offences

Sorry for the gap

Hello readers,
sorry for any delay in getting information on the Blog. I have been ill for a short while. Getting better everyday and will be back to "normal" soon.

Some interesting pieces of information.
Students in danger? go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/feb/15/universities-crumbling-secret-database-guardian

An article, albeit by an Alarm Company, regarding Fire Safety in HMO's where many of our Students stay. Go to: http://www.info4fire.com/sponsored-product-profile-content/full/alarmsense-and-hmos

Rosepark Care Home. Fire Risk Assessment prior to Fire was not "suitable nor sufficient."
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2010/02/17/rosepark-care-home-blaze-serious-shortcomings-were-not-included-in-report-inspector-tells-fai-86908-22049397/

We currently carry out Fire Risk Assessments and Staff Training in Balmer Care Homes and I can assure readers that all that can be done to protect Residents and Staff is being done.

Manslaughter verdict on firefighter deaths. Go To:
http://ife-scotland.org.uk/news/manslaughter-verdicts-on-firefighter-deaths/

Fantastic. This girl will be a millionaire soon.

This is a fantastic idea. Go To : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6DvjKkGT6s

Whether it reduces fires caused by electrical appliances multi plugs etc ...only time will tell.

Video has commentry from the inventor.

Interesting Video using inert atmosphere for extinguishment.

Go to:http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=proinert&search_type=&aq=f

Some studies have shown that long exposure (normal working day) may cause headaches. What do you think?

Sprinkler Seminar

I attended a Sprinkler Seminar in Edinburgh on the 20th January. This was jointly run by the IFE and BAFSA. Despite the subject matter the speakers made it an interesting day. Details and copies of Ppt presentations can be retrieved at the Scottish IFE website.

9 Fire Safety breaches in Restaurant costs £3,500 each = £40,000 in fines. From Fire Risk Management Journal.

Go To: http://www.frmjournal.com/Journal+Archive/Current+issue/News/FRM+January+2010+News+in+brief.htm

House in Multiple Occupation fined £32,000

Contraventions in Fire Safety costs a House in Multiple Occupation Landlord £32,000 in fines.
Go To: http://www.frmjournal.com/Journal+Archive/Current+issue/Articles/FRM+January+2010+Penalty+points.htm

Another huge fine for Fire Safety contraventions. Go to:
http://www.frmjournal.com/Journal+Archive/Current+issue/News/FRM+January+2010+News+Largest+retailer+fine.htm

From Fire Risk Management Magazine

A forum regarding FIA’s (Fire Industry Association) Fire Risk Assessment Council – the way forward. We definately need a national Competency Register for practitioners of Fire Risk Assessments. Is this the way forward?

http://www.fia.uk.com/en/Information/Details/index.cfm/obj_id/99C9E244-E6F2-4C53-8CA335C91B3690D8

Go to this link for information regarding Tower block fire risk assessment register for England. (Taken from Fire Safety Engineering: Newsletter)
Should we have something similar in Scotland? After 6 people died in a multi storey block in Lakanal House we should be looking at our current advice re stay put policies.

Let me know what you think.
http://www.fseonline.co.uk/articles.asp?article_id=9671&viewcomment=1&OmniTest_CampName=fseeditorial-08-01-10&OmniCamp_Name=fseeditorial-08-01-10&OmniWS_Name=Fire%20Safety%20%26%20Engineering%20(FSE)%204943.62230-62&OmniWS_ID=3&OmniPR_Name=Newsletter_FSE%20Weekly%20Editorial&OmniPR_ID=3&OmniLink_Label=more&OmniDBG_URN=&OmniDBG_File_ID=&OmniSeg_Code=&OmniCC_Code=&OmniComp_Name=Fire%20isk%20Ltd&OmniJob_Title=MD&Omni_Source=

Stand by you pan. Drink & hunger don't mix

A wee reminder not to leave your frying pan unattended. A Tammy Wynette spoof. Stand by your Pan. http://www.fseonline.co.uk/articles.asp?article_id=9571&viewcomment=1

Here are a couple of links from The Institution Of Fire Engineers you may find interesting. The first is regarding jail terms and fines for the manslaughter of 2 Firefighters in a fireworks factory. You really do need a Fire Risk Assessment to make sure this does not happen to you.

Go to: http://ife-scotland.org.uk/news/manslaughter-verdicts-on-firefighter-deaths/

Another interesting link with Fire related issues:
http://www.ife.org.uk/search-results?q=International+Fire+News+Update

Remember to get in touch with any Fire Safety 'queries in Scotland.