The Financial Consequences of Not Following Fire Safety Regulations
As a business owner, there are many day-to-day tasks to take care of, so it can be easy to put things off till a later date and some of these jobs require financial investment. However, you shouldn’t cut corners or delay addressing fire safety.
It is crucial that fire regulations are followed to protect your premises and more importantly protect customers, employees and everyone inside. Following safety measures saves lives.
At M&G Fire Protection we can ensure you meet all regulations so you can rest easy knowing your premises and business is protected.
What are the financial consequences of failing to adhere to regulations?
Even if there is no serious incident if you do not follow legislation you could face significant fines which could impact your business, in some cases your business could be shut down or you could even face imprisonment.
As a business owner, it is your responsibility to carry out frequent risk assessments to find any possible fire threats or hazards and to put plans in place for emergencies.
Your business will receive regular visits from your local fire and rescue authority to investigate to ensure you are following all required standards. This will include checking risk assessments and making sure employee fire safety training is completed.
Examples of fire safety breaches and fines
Recently, the owner of a hotel in Oxford was fined £20,000 for breaching fire safety. It was identified that legislation breaches put the lives of the hotel guests in danger. The hotel contained a takeaway at ground floor level and hotel accommodation on the upper floors. Multiple fire risks were identified by inspectors:
- Emergency fire alarm systems were not operational
- There was no fire risk assessment
- Inadequate fire-resistant framework between the takeaway and the hotel accommodation above
It was noted that the building was “considered so dangerous that inspectors issued an immediate prohibition notice preventing sleeping in the property until fire safety measures were improved”.
Fines can vary in size for example, last year, BUPA Healthcare was charged a £937,500 fine and a further £104,000 for failing to meet fire safety regulations. This was the largest recorded fine under the Fire Safety Order!
The government states that ‘minor penalties can be up to £5,000. Major Penalties can have unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison.’ See more information here: https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/enforcement-appeals-and-penalties
How M&G Fire Protection can help
Our team will make fire safety simple so you can focus on your business while your business and personnel are kept safe.
Our cost-effective services cover a wide range of areas:
- Fire alarm system design, installation, commission and maintenance
- Fire extinguisher maintenance and training
- Fire & smoke damper installation and testing
- Smoke ventilation (AOV) design, installation and maintenance
- Risk assessments and training
Contact us today at 01376 519627 or info@mgfire.co.uk to speak with our experts.
