Firms in Lancashire warned on fire risk 'gamble' as 70% fail tests

4:09pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor

SEVENTY per cent of Lancashire businesses failed fire safety checks last year, putting people’s lives at risk, according to a new report.

Business owners have been warned that putting off fire risk assessments and cutting back on vital maintenance to save money is a false economy.

Figures by independent fire expert Safety Management revealed in 3,636 audits carried out between April 2011 and March this year, only 1,089 were found to be compliant by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s fire safety experts.

They also served 376 enforcement notices over that period.

Safety Management said it believed the situation in Lancashire was mirrored across the UK, with business owners suffering from a false sense of security that they had their fire safety covered.

Brian Gregory, managing director, said: “Small businesses are feeling the pressure of the recession and are looking to save money, but putting fire safety to the bottom of their priorities is a false economy.

“This figure suggests that businesses are gambling with their future.

“Often, business owners and managers feel that by having fire extinguishers in place and a fire detection system in their building means they are covered. But critically, unless the assessment is completed by a competent person, there is no guar- antee that the fire detection is the right system for the building.”

The Safety Management study also revealed there were 3,851 arson attacks in Lancashire over the 12-month period. There were also 24 office fires, 76 factory or warehouse blazes and 50 fires in small shops and takeaways.

Safety Management is an independent provider of fire safety training, fire risk assessments and first aid training.

This year it will complete around 12,000 fire risk assessments in the UK.

Lancashire’s assistant chief fire officer, Dave Russel, said: “There is no satisfaction in seeing people punished for failure to make their premises safe, but it should act as a powerful deterrent for anyone who supposes that ensuring fire safety is an option and not an obligation by law.

“When it proves necessary to do so, we will take action through the courts.”

Comments (6)

4:44pm Mon 22 Oct 12

2 for 5p says...

Why the he'll are these business not shut down , just goes to show these flaming employers they will risk there workers safety , before they will tale a cut in profits.
Why the he'll are these business not shut down , just goes to show these flaming employers they will risk there workers safety , before they will tale a cut in profits. 2 for 5p

6:16pm Mon 22 Oct 12

nelmick says...

from approx 1 jan 1964 lancashire county fire brigade crews began to to carry out out routine fire prevention visits to small premises, previously fire prevention work was the perogative of senior officers, As time progressed the fire service was given more legislation and specialist officers did the initial inspection and then crews carried out routine inspection on an annual basis thereby maintaining the standards in order to assist companies to maintain the standards set at the initial inspection, this continued for many years but with diminishing budgets ,cuts in operational requirements,reducti
ons of personel and appliances,its no suprise that ,that standards are slipping and i have no doubt that in the not to distant future there will be an incident which may result in the loss of life because people will have forgotten the disasters that brought about legislation in the first place
from approx 1 jan 1964 lancashire county fire brigade crews began to to carry out out routine fire prevention visits to small premises, previously fire prevention work was the perogative of senior officers, As time progressed the fire service was given more legislation and specialist officers did the initial inspection and then crews carried out routine inspection on an annual basis thereby maintaining the standards in order to assist companies to maintain the standards set at the initial inspection, this continued for many years but with diminishing budgets ,cuts in operational requirements,reducti ons of personel and appliances,its no suprise that ,that standards are slipping and i have no doubt that in the not to distant future there will be an incident which may result in the loss of life because people will have forgotten the disasters that brought about legislation in the first place nelmick

7:19pm Mon 22 Oct 12

Doug Spencer says...

nelmick,
Preventable fire deaths have occured since the introduction of the Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) was introduced. As a qualified fire risk assessor, I contacted my then MP to express concern about the Fire Risk Assessments that were being carried out. Less than 6 weeks later, a death occured in Blackpool, many others have occured since.
Many business owners simply refuse to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment because a fire will never happen to them and the truth is, they do not understand risk assessment and refuse to pay for expert advice. The Fire and Rescue Service try to visit high risk premises but many,many small business are (or think they are) exempt from undertaking a documented risk assessment.
Although this story is a advert for a company, the contents are factually correct. Many, many businesses have the wrong fire extinguishers, alarm system and signage. This puts the public, employees and fire fighters at risk. Anyone who needs a risk assessment can always Google for companies such as mine, Kingfisher Site Services.
nelmick, Preventable fire deaths have occured since the introduction of the Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) was introduced. As a qualified fire risk assessor, I contacted my then MP to express concern about the Fire Risk Assessments that were being carried out. Less than 6 weeks later, a death occured in Blackpool, many others have occured since. Many business owners simply refuse to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment because a fire will never happen to them and the truth is, they do not understand risk assessment and refuse to pay for expert advice. The Fire and Rescue Service try to visit high risk premises but many,many small business are (or think they are) exempt from undertaking a documented risk assessment. Although this story is a advert for a company, the contents are factually correct. Many, many businesses have the wrong fire extinguishers, alarm system and signage. This puts the public, employees and fire fighters at risk. Anyone who needs a risk assessment can always Google for companies such as mine, Kingfisher Site Services. Doug Spencer

3:15pm Tue 23 Oct 12

Mike 999 says...

Firecomply Ltd is a NW based specialist fire safety company, not a health & Safety company and not a fire alarm installer or a provider of extinguishers. I believe it is essential to opt for an unattached specialist limited company with a solid credit rating and with suitably qualified former fire service staff to ensure the job is done properly. Looking on Google is not enough, you need to know what you get for your money! Follow the golden rule! looking on Google simply isn't good enough!
Firecomply Ltd is a NW based specialist fire safety company, not a health & Safety company and not a fire alarm installer or a provider of extinguishers. I believe it is essential to opt for an unattached specialist limited company with a solid credit rating and with suitably qualified former fire service staff to ensure the job is done properly. Looking on Google is not enough, you need to know what you get for your money! Follow the golden rule! looking on Google simply isn't good enough! Mike 999

9:20pm Tue 23 Oct 12

oracle999 says...

Or you could ignore these people plugging there business and ask for advice from your local fire stations fire safety department or check out the clg website for all the guidance you need.
Or you could ignore these people plugging there business and ask for advice from your local fire stations fire safety department or check out the clg website for all the guidance you need. oracle999

7:07am Wed 24 Oct 12

carrman2 says...

We all know where these businesses are dont we !!
We all know where these businesses are dont we !! carrman2

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