Clearview National September 2015 - Issue 166 | Page 75

firesafety The Real Risks of Fire Safety On 25th June 2015, David Schofield, owner of the Park Hotel in Paignton, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years for severe fire safety breaches. »»The offences were related to several breaches of fire safety regulations which included: fire doors not meeting the required standard, fire doors blocked or wedged open, poor safety evacuation procedures and exposed wires. The most recent government statistics show that around 42% of hotels in England fail to meet satisfactory standards in their fire inspection, with one of the most common issues being inadequate emergency routes and exits. Twenty eight fire doors at the Park Hotel failed to close properly, and in the event of a fire this could have resulted in devastating consequences for the hotel and its occupants. Fire doors are important safety devices which are there to help protect lives by preventing the spread of smoke and fire. Regulations state that fire doors must be kept closed in order to provide protection in the event of a fire. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in loss of business, hefty fines and even imprisonment. For many, being able to keep fire doors open makes day-to-day life easier by enabling freedom of movement through busy buildings. It also improves ventilation and reduces the risk of injury from handling a heavy fire door. Fireco can help make compliance easy by offering solutions that keep fire doors open legally and safely. They supply products that continuously listen for the sound of the fire alarm and close the doors automatically in the event of a fire. For more information visit www.fireco.uk Free fire safety seminar »»BM TRADA is holding a free half-day seminar at the University of Birmingham on 8 September. The ever popular event, Fire Protection Measures– Understanding Your Responsibilities aims to explain the duties of the Responsible Person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO) and raise awareness of passive fire protection. It provides an introduction to the legislation and explains the vital role of passive fire protection, in ensuring life safety and why correct installation and continuing maintenance is essential. The seminar explains the importance of ensuring the competency of those involved in assessing, specifying, installing and maintaining passive fire protection measures and how third party certification can help. It also considers the role of the enforcing officer; and the consequences and costs of getting passive fire protection wrong. ‘raise awareness of passive fire protection’ Delegates also receive free access to ‘The Responsible Person’ e-learning course from the Fire Protection Association, allowing them to fit further learning into their busy schedules at their own convenience. For further information or to book a place at one of these events please visit http://www. bmtrada.com/en-gb/training/ passive-fire-protectiontraining/fire-protectionmeasures or contact tel: 01494 569750 or email: [email protected] ‘free access to ‘The Responsible Person’ e-learning course from the Fire Protection Association’ C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » S EP 2015 » 75