Recently the fire authorities carried out Fire Safety inspections in several hotels in principal UK cities. They found Fire Regulations were breached in almost every case.

Some of the typical issues found were as follows:

  1. Fire doors not fitting correctly in the frames
  2. Damaged fire doors that had poor smoke seals
  3. Fire doors wedged open
  4. Alarms not working correctly
  5. Smoke, heat detectors disconnected
  6. Electrical extension leads overloaded

A fire risk assessment is essential not only to meet legal requirements but could also save lives, if carried out by a competent person and the findings are actioned.

Fire Risk assessments must be reviewed on an annual basis. All risks must be noted and dealt with as soon as possible, rather than undertaking a simple checklist then no further corrective actions are taken.

Staff training is essential to make sure that all employees identify any fire risks and understand what they should be doing in case of an emergency evacuation. All fire routes must always be kept clear, and fire signage must be clear so that person can navigate safety using the shortest route. Sources of ignition are important to identify, and prevention of these should always be at the top of any fire checklist.

What does the law say?

The Fire Safety Order (FSO) is the current law in England and Wales. This states that a ‘responsible person’ either the owner or manager is accountable for compliance.

What are the penalties?

In England and Wales, a breach of fire regulations used to result in a fine of up to £5,000 in the Magistrates’ courts unlike the Crown Court where the penalty was an unlimited fine and/or prison.

Recent changes in the law mean that the penalty in the Magistrates’ Court is an unlimited fine and the person responsible for fire safety will be prosecuted as an individual, not as a company, also fines are proportionate to the company’s turnover.

Any enforcement actions taken against companies or individual prosecutions are published online so this information is damaging to the individual or company concerned.

Some typical cases below:

Fine after Golders Green hotel Fire Safety failures put lives at risk
Cheshire fined £75,000 for Serious Fire Safety breaches
LFB Prosecution results in 20K fine for hotel