Elderly woman dies after fire breaks out in two-storey property

Fire: An investigation has been launched into the death.STV

An elderly woman has died after a fire broke out in a home in the Alexandria area of West Dunbartonshire.
The 74-year-old woman, who has not yet been identified, was killed in the blaze at Burns Street in Levenvale on Saturday morning.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said officers from Balloch and Dumbarton arrived on the scene at 6am and were informed by members of the public that an elderly woman was inside the burning building.
Firefighters entered the two-storey semi-detached property wearing breathing apparatus and soon located the woman.
However, she was pronounced dead by paramedics in attendance.
The fire brigade’s Incident Research and Investigation Section has launched a joint investigation with Strathclyde Police to determine the cause of the fire.
Noting that the death marked the third fire fatality in the Strathclyde area over the Christmas period, the fire brigade urged members of the public to check their smoke alarms.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue's Director of Community Safety, said: "In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm will give you and your family vital life-saving minutes to escape safely. Every household in Strathclyde should have at least one working smoke alarm.
"If you, or someone you know - a neighbour, friend, or family member - doesn't have a working smoke alarm, I would urge you to fit one immediately or call Strathclyde Fire and Rescue on 0800 0731 999.
"We will supply and fit long life smoke alarms and a heat alarm free of charge."

Increases evacuation time and reduces property damage in Fire situations

The portable fire knock-down tool from DSPA is proving to be a valuable asset for first responders faced with the task of evacuating people from a building where a fire has broken out.

This nightmare scenario is, thankfully, a rare occurrence, but nevertheless it is a threat that is constantly present. All fire officers working in a hospital, care home or any organisation that has residents onsite fully understands the need to evacuate people from the buildings as soon as possible.

In many fire situations, a hand held fire extinguisher is sufficient to do the job, however this is not always the case. Especially at night, when staffing levels are at the lowest, an outbreak of fire can be disastrous. With the DSPA-5 portable fire knockdown tool, the trained first responder has the opportunity to deploy the device into the fire compartment safely, without having to enter the room. He or she can trigger the DSPA-5 and throw it into the room. It will activate after 8 to 10 seconds, discharging non-toxic and environmentally friendly aerosol towards the fire, knocking down the flames and attacking the combustion process.

Having deployed the DSPA-5 and closed the door to the fire compartment, the first responder can assist with the fire evacuation plan. The DSPA-5 may not fully extinguish the fire, but it will prevent the spread of the fire and provide additional time for the evacuation and arrival of the emergency services.

Chiltern International carried out their independent test of the DSPA-5 and concluded, ‘This (the DSPA-5) could stall fire growth and aid in reducing property damage’*. Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service has used the DSPA-5 in a fire incident. The Station Manager reported; ‘Once the source of origin of the fire had been located, it was clear that the temperature in the compartment was quite intense. We deployed the DSPA-5 and withdrew from the compartment. After around 5 minutes we re-committed to the compartment with a hosereel to find the temperature had reduced quite considerably and the fire itself was almost extinguished. It took only a small amount of water to completely extinguish the fire overall.’*

Following an outbreak of fire, the damage caused by the water used to extinguish the fire can be extreme. Using a DSPA-5 can substantially reduce the amount of water required and, consequently, reduce the water damage.

 For more information contact John or Becci on 01342 310107, email john.maxfield@dspaltd.com or visit our website www.dspaltd.com

Copies of the Chiltern Report and Staffordshire FRS incident reports are available on request.

This article seems to suggest that Care Home Staff would be expected to use this apparatus  What are your thoughts on that? So much depends on fire size and the volume of the ROO (Room of Origin). I will give them a call and ask the questions.

Staff praised for reaction to fire at Scots Care Home

19 December 2012 

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STAFF AT a Methil care home have been praised for their quick thinking after a fire broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Fifty elderly residents of Forth View Care Home were helped to safety by staff after the alarm was sounded at 4.30am.
Crews from Fife Fire and Rescue Service raced to the home as residents were moved to a safe section of the building.
At one point six fire appliances were at the Sea Road site, with officers using two hose reel jets and thermal imaging equipment to tackle the outbreak.
With the blaze extinguished and all people accounted for, the home operators were quick to thank staff on duty at the time.
Sandra Ross, director of operations at Balhousie Care Group, said: “This was a small fire which appears to have broken out on the first floor.
“The emergency services were called and the priority was, of course, to ensure that all our residents and staff were safe.
“A small number of residents were moved to an area away from the fire but no one had to be evacuated outside and no one was injured.
“The fire was brought under control quickly but it is too early to know what may have caused it.
“The six staff who were on duty dealt with the incident quickly and efficiently and we commend them for their handling of the situation.
“We would also like to thank Fife Fire and Rescue Service for their fast response.”
A steady stream of relatives arrived at the home yesterday morning to ensure loved ones were in good health.
Residents who had been moved from their rooms are said to have returned to their accommodation within 90 minutes of the alarm being raised.
Stewart Read, whose house is opposite Forth View, said he had been impressed by the composure of the people dealing with the fire.
He said: “I got woken up about 4.30 and saw the flashing lights outside. I looked out and I could see that the place was ablaze.
“Two fire engines arrived and they were really getting stuck in. It could have been really bad but they seemed to get everyone shifted.
“They must have been pretty organised.”
Although the source of the blaze has yet to be confirmed, police stated there was no criminal element to the fire.
jowatson@thecourier.co.uk

A good example of having an effective Emergency Fire Action Plan.
 If you need help with this or Fire Risk Assessments call
 01259 216713 or go to:  www.fireisk.co.uk

Jack Wills fashion store in Stonegate fined £27k after breaching fire regulations

A HIGH street clothing chain has been fined £27,000 after breaching fire regulations at its York store.
Fire inspection officers said Jack Wills, in Stonegate, had failed to comply with an enforcement notice despite repeated attempts to ensure the correct fire conditions were applied at the store.
Following a visit to the outlet in January last year, inspectors found damaged fire doors incapable of holding back flames and said staff were unaware of the dangers of leaving combustible materials on staircases and in the shop’s understairs electrical switch room.

The company issued an unreserved apology to North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service for the unnecessary time and effort officers had to spend dealing with the contraventions and for its failure to comply with safety legislation.
Station manager David Watson said: “Fire safety officers always try to work with businesses and business owners to ensure they are compliant or can achieve compliance with the requirements of the legislation within an acceptable time scale.
“Unfortunately in this case, Jack Wills Limited chose to disregard the items identified within their own fire risk assessments and further advice offered by fire safety officers.

“A company of this standing should have regard for fire safety matters in a more conscientious way. The conviction of Jack Wills Limited shows how seriously the fire authority and the courts view those who put the safety of others at risk in the event of a fire.”
It was said staff working in the store had repeatedly requested authorisation from the Jack Wills head office in London, for maintenance work to be carried out.

Jack Wills Limited pleaded guilty to six contraventions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, when the case came before magistrates in York on Thursday.
The company was fined £27,000 and also ordered to pay £5,619 prosecution costs.
Staff at the York shop declined to comment and no-one was available at the firm’s head office.

Businesses which require a Fire Risk Assessment or Staff FireTraining  or advice should phone 01259 216713. Or go to:   www.fireisk.co.uk

 richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

Blaze at care home sees 50 residents evacuated

Tuesday 18 December 2012 08:45

RESIDENTS of a care home were evacuated after a fire broke out in the early hours of this morning.

A total of fifty elderly people were moved from their rooms, along with six members of staff, after the alarm was raised at Forth View Care Centre on Sea Road, Methil, at 4.30am.
Fife firefighters discovered a blaze in the first-floor dining room. It was extinguished by 6.30am with the assistance of five appliances.
A spokesman for the Fife Fire and Rescue Service said: “We had five appliances in attendance for a fire in a first-floor dining room.
“Staff and residents were evacuated to different wings of the building and kept under ambulance surveillance.
“All persons have been accounted for.”
A spokesman for the ambulance service said seven resources were sent to the scene, including ambulances and special response teams, but there had been no casualties.

From The Scotsman.

Remember that a Fire Risk Assessment and an Emergency Fire Action Plan are required by Law. These should be provided by Competent persons. Go To:  http://www.fireisk.co.uk/

Girl dies in Shropshire children's home fire

A teenage girl has died in a fire at a children's home.

The fire was in a bedroom at a Bryn Melyn Care home in Bagley Marsh near Ellesmere, Shropshire, late on Saturday. Two adults were unharmed.

Paramedics were unable to revive the girl, whose age has not been released, and she was declared dead at the scene.

Police have been working with fire investigators to determine the cause. Walsall Council said the girl was the responsibility of the authority.

Her death was being treated as unexplained, said police.

Fire crews from Ellesmere, Baschurch and Wem responded.

Bryn Melyn Care said it had provided residential childcare services for troubled young people for more than 27 years and this was the first "tragedy of this nature".

Bryn Melyn Care managing director Steve Nevitt said everyone had been "devastated" to learn of the death of the young person in its care.

In a statement, he said: "Our thoughts go out in particular to her family and friends, as well as the care, education and clinical staff who have worked so closely with her during her time with us.

"We have instigated a full internal review and will be cooperating fully with all the relevant local emergency services and Ofsted to ensure that this terrible event is investigated thoroughly and the cause of the fire established."

From BBC

'Intense' fire at house in Hull 'melted' window

Firefighter Keith Evans said the fire "melted" the window glass.

A man is in hospital after a fire at a house in Hull, which the fire service said was "so intense that it melted the glass of the front room window".

Humberside Fire and Rescue were called to the property on Grove Street at about 14:00 GMT on Saturday.
Some of the occupants had escaped onto the roof through a roof light.
Keith Evans from the fire service said: "We were able to secure those individuals until it was safe to bring them back down through the building."
Mr Evans said an adult male was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, and three others who suffered smoke inhalation refused treatment.

Woman treated for smoke inhalation after rescue from house fire

 The blaze broke out in Nairn on Sunday evening.Deadline Newswoman is being treated for smoke inhalation after being rescued from a house fire.

She was found within the property in the Highland town of Nairn on Sunday evening. Fire units from Inverness and Nairn attended the blaze in the house at Simpson Street.
The fire broke out at around 5.50pm, before the woman was removed from the property.
Northern Constabulary said the woman is being treated for smoke inhalation at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.
A police spokesman added that "there is no danger to adjoining properties and the fire is not being treated as suspicious".
 From STV.

Homes badly damaged by alcohol distillery blaze

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Residents living close to the Alcohols Ltd distillery in the West Midlands, where a major blaze broke out on Monday November 26th, have spoken to the BBC about the damage done to their homes.
The incident occurred on Hall Street in Oldbury shortly before 10am, causing a huge fireball and plumes of thick black smoke to billow up into the air.
Several families were evacuated from their properties while firefighters from across the region battled to extinguish the flames, closing surrounding roads and putting a fire safety cordon in place.
Fortunately there was only one reported injury involving a worker at the factory who suffered burns. He has since been released from hospital.
But properties in the area close to the fire did not escape unscathed, with homeowners reporting melted window frames, twisted guttering and smoke damage.
"We've got cracks in the walls in most of the rooms from the heat of the flames," said local woman Harbhajan Kaur.
"I'd left the bathroom window open, and when I got back in the house there was smoke damage and ash everywhere. It took me two, three days of cleaning."
She also said the fire had damaged her home's smoke alarm as well as several lights.
Local councillor Jayne Wilkinson lives opposite the factory. Her car was declared a write-off after the back of it melted in the heat, while the drainpipes on her property have melted.
Her windows have also had to be boarded up because the frames have been so badly damaged.
Ms Wilkinson said she is now questioning why there were no procedures in place advising residents what to do in the event of a major incident like this one.
"It meant lots of people were left with nothing than what they escaped from their homes with, and the information we needed just wasn't there," she explained.
Ms Wilkinson also claimed that many of the people living near the site do not want to see the factory rebuilt.
"We're nervous enough that the scorched storage tanks will still need draining of their chemicals - none of us want to be around when that happens," she remarked.
The Health and Safety Executive is currently carrying out an investigation into the fire.

From @fireindustry

£10k of stock destroyed in charity shop fire

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07 Dec 2012

The owners of a charity shop in Norfolk are mourning the loss of thousands of pounds worth of uninsured stock after a fire broke out on the premises on Thursday December 6th.
According to the Norwich Evening News, the incident occurred at around 10pm in a part of Dereham town centre that had been earmarked for a £1 million redevelopment programme.
Firefighters were called to the Pact animal charity shop on Norwich Street where they worked to prevent the flames from spreading to neighbouring buildings.
By midnight the blaze had been extinguished, but crews remained on the scene because smoke was still emanating from the shop.
A cordon has been placed around the burnt-out building and an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Chris Rockingham, co-founder of Pact, said he believes the second-hand stock inside the shop was valued at as much as £10,000. All of it was uninsured.
"I am devastated," he told the local newspaper. "It's completely ruined.
Shop manager Soraya Parnell said firefighters have been trying to access the back of a neighbouring fast food outlet where it is believed the blaze may have started.
"I helped the fire brigade with questions about any hazards," she remarked. "It seems to have started behind us in the chip shop but they are investigating so will get the cause of it no doubt."
She added: "We are going to be moving into the old Birds sports shop early in the New Year but will be a few months without a shop in Dereham.
"I'm disappointed for all the people who have donated lovely items for us to sell for the animal care only to see it go up in smoke."
Under the The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be carried out on all commercial properties in Scotland.
Failure to comply with the legislation can lead to an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years for the Duty Holder.

Scottish fire station destroyed in blaze

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A fire station in Scotland may have to be partially demolished and rebuilt after a blaze ripped through the building in the early hours of Monday December 3rd.
Retained firefighters were first to arrive on the scene in North Berwick at 5.20am. They were unable to access the station so requested immediate backup.
Around 40 fire safety officers from East Linton, Haddington, Dunbar, Newcraighill and Tranent were called to the scene and an incident support unit from Marionville was dispatched to help with the effort.
They battled for five hours to extinguish the flames, but unfortunately the building suffered serious damage, as did two fire engines on site.
According to STV, part of the roof of the part-time station collapsed during the blaze, which means demolition and rebuilding work will likely have to be carried out.
No one was injured in the blaze and firefighters did not have to evacuate any nearby homes.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: "A risk assessment was carried out and because smoke was blowing towards the sea it was deemed safest to leave residents in a nearby housing estate indoors."
Later in the morning police were in attendance to provide assistance to commuters trying to access North Berwick train station, which is situated behind the fire station.
The representative confirmed that plans are in place to make sure there is "adequate" fire cover in the area following the incident.
Meanwhile an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the blaze.
It is not the first time that a fire station has been affected by a fire. In August a blaze broke out in the drying room of a part-time facility in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
A spokesperson said at the time: "We want to use this incident to emphasise that fire can happen to anyone at any time and in any building."

From @fireindustry

Atos shock. Disabled Man left Stranded When Fire Alarm Sounds

Atos Under Fire After Disabled Man Geoff Meeghan Left Stranded When Fire Alarm Sounded

A disabled man has described his distress after being left stranded inside an Atos centre when the fire alarm went off.
Geoff Meeghan, 32, suffers from early-onset Parkinsons and was being assessed over whether he was 'fit for work' at a centre in Neasden, north-west London, when the fire alarm sounded.
The doctor he was with rushed out and a security guard whom he asked for help promised assistance which never came.
He was abandoned at the top of the stairs, after being told not to use the lift.
Speaking to the Independent, Mr Meeghan said that even though he can tackle stairs with help, "it was a highly stressful situation and I felt like it was far too risky.
"I was worried that flames might come up the stairs and that I might fall or something. It wasn’t a drill.
"We could see the fire engine arriving outside. I feel like there was a general lack of respect for disabled people at Atos – they make you feel as though you’ve done something wrong by being disabled – like you’re being persecuted.”
From Huffington Post.

That is some Emergency Fire Action Plan. I wonder who is in charge of Fire Safety matters for this "Company?"

Firefighters rescue five people from Edinburgh flat blaze

22 Nov 2012 08:16

LOTHIAN and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was "well alight" when crews arrived.

FIVE people have been rescued from a burning building in Edinburgh early this morning.
The blaze broke out just after 2.30 am when fire ripped through a ground floor flat in South Sloan Street.
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was "well alight" when crews arrived.
A spokeswoman for the service said five people had to be rescued from the building.
Two were taken to the city's Royal Infirmary to be treated for smoke inhalation, while the others were checked over at the scene.

Daily Record

Fire safety campaign launched in Scotland

22nd Nov 2012

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have launched a new campaign to promote the importance of fire safety in the home during winter.
Don't Give Fire a Home urges householders not to be complacent when it comes to fire hazards, especially at this time of year when the risks are greater.
As part of the campaign a special map has been created showing Scotland's Hottest Postcodes. It highlights the most common areas for house fires around the country.
The highest concentration of incidents last year occurred in cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. However, campaigners are keen to stress than fires can and do occur anywhere.
Scotland's community safety and legal affairs minister Roseanna Cunningham noted that the number of house fires north of the border is at its lowest level in ten years.
But this doesn't mean homeowners should ignore the dangers, particularly in the run up to the festive season when celebrations can bring additional hazards.
"Smoking, alcohol consumption, cooking accidents, misuse of electrical appliances or the overloading of electrical sockets are all potential risks," she remarked.
Alex Clark, deputy chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, added: "Historically as we go into the winter months we see a rise in the number of accidental dwelling fires.
"This can be for a number of reasons from people spending more time in their homes to an increased reliance on electrical products like heaters, tumble dyers and electric blankets and the use of log and coal burning fires."
He said there are a number of very simple steps householders can take to protect themselves and their families this winter, from fitting smoke detectors to avoiding cooking after drinking alcohol.

Free home fire safety visits by fire and rescue service personnel are also available, helping people to assess the fire risks in their home and take steps to address them, he pointed out.

From @fireindustry

mprovements seen in Scotland's fire & rescue capabilities

 Improvements seen in Scotland's fire & rescue capabilities

22nd  Nov 2012

Progress has been made in improving Scotland's fire and rescue capabilities in recent years following the unsuccessful attempt to rescue a woman from a disused mineshaft back in 2008.
This is the view of the Scottish Government in its response to an inquiry into the incident.
Ministers said lessons had been learned from the tragic death of Alison Hume and a range of measures put in place to ensure that fire and rescue crews are better prepared.
The mother of two fell 14 metres into a collapsed mine shaft in Galston, Ayrshire in July 2008, suffering what were described as survivable injuries.
However, after spending several hours in the pit, developing hypothermia and suffering a heart attack, she later died in hospital.
An inquiry into the incident, ordered under Section 44 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and published in March, concluded that Ms Hume's death could have been prevented.
Indeed, it stated that her rescue was delayed by senior fire officers who showed rigid compliance with health and safety regulations.
Four years on and some major improvements have been made, the Scottish Government claims.
There has been a review of the process through which operational policy is created and developed, and there is now a national formalised suite of courses relating to incident command training and assessment, including risk critical decision making.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service now also has a specialist line rescue team and all services have arrangements in place for the provision of line rescue.
Furthermore, nationally coordinated and delivered rope rescue training has been introduced at a new training facility in Newcraighall.
"The chief inspector's inquiry was a very important piece of work, and a reminder that the death of Alison Hume was a tragedy the likes of which we never want to see repeated," said Roseanna Cunningham, minister for community safety and legal affairs.
"The inquiry sets out several areas for improvement that are already being addressed by the eight existing services, and I am encouraged by the progress that has been made."
She also said that the improvements will be embedded into the new single fire and rescue service for Scotland, ensuring that officers have consistent training and equitable access to specialist resources.

From @fireindustry

Greater Manchester leaseholder fined for fire safety breaches

16 Nov 2012

A commercial property leaseholder in Greater Manchester is facing a substantial fine after pleading guilty to a number of fire safety breaches.
Waseem Abbas used the building on Bury Old Road in Salford as a mobile phone shop, an internet cafe and a television and radio station.
Fire protection officers visited the premises in December last year and found a number of safety failings that could have resulted in serious injuries or even death in the event of a blaze.
They discovered that the only staircase in the building, which led to the first and second floors housing a workshop, an office, a storage area and rented studios, was blocked by combustible items.
Furthermore, it had no fire doors and instead of leading to a place of safety led into the main shop. This meant that people working on the upper floors would have been trapped if a fire had broken out on the ground floor.
Their escape attempts would have been further hampered by the bars that had been fitted on some of the upstairs windows.
Officers from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service issued a prohibition notice that would prevent Mr Abbas from using the first and second floors.
On November 8th 2012 the leaseholder admitted to six offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, including failure to install a fire alarm and failure to carry out a fire risk assessment on the property.
He was fined £3,600 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs. He has also promised not to use the upper floors of the building until he can gain permission to install an additional fire escape.
"This case shows that ignorance and failing to think about fire safety can be very costly," said Peter O'Reilly, director of prevention and protection at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
"The starting point for all businesses should be to do a fire risk assessment which will help them identify how to keep the premises safe."

From @fireindustry

PRESS RELEASE for BAFE UKAS ACCREDITATION

PRESS RELEASE for BAFE UKAS ACCREDITATION

First Scottish Company to be accredited.

Fire Isk Assessments & Training Ltd has now received their UKAS accreditation and is the first Fire Safety Consultancy in Scotland that will deliver fire safety risk assessments which are UKAS BAFE accredited.

BAFE , the registration body for companies that achieve third party certification for their fire protection services, has confirmed that Fire Isk Assessments & Training Ltd have now received their UKAS accreditation and are the first Fire Safety Consultancy in Scotland to achieve this award.

Dennis Webster, the Managing Director of Fire Isk Assessments & Training Ltd said, “I am delighted with this accreditation and would like to thank all who contributed towards this award including NSI who were the Certifying body. The standard of Fire Risk Assessments must be measureable so our clients can be assured of the competency and quality of the Assessor. This scheme goes a long way towards meeting this objective. We look forward to ensuring our high quality with existing and new clients throughout Scotland.”

The organisation will be listed on the BAFE website and will carry the BAFE logo.

The SP205 programme is the first independently audited scheme to ensure the organisation commissioned to carry out a fire safety risk assessment is competent to do so.  Under SP205 standards, organisations must have the necessary technical and quality management capabilities and trained staff to carry out a fire risk assessment.

Stephen Adams, BAFE 's general manager, claimed that businesses will be able to benefit significantly from the new initiative.

He said: " BAFE is very grateful to the original editorial group who developed the scheme and the UKAS team that has brought this significant development for the UK fire protection industry to fruition.”

"We are sure that UK property users will gain significantly from having access to third party certificated assessors."

Under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, the duty holder for a commercial property is required to carry out and implement the findings of a full fire risk assessment.

Should the fire risk assessment be deemed to be carried out to an insufficient extent, the Duty Holder can face imprisonment and be subjected to a fine of up to £20,000 per offence.

END

http://www.bafe.org.uk/news-detail.php?id=0000000035

Notes

Fire Isk Assessments & Training Ltd

The Company was formed in 2005 and have been carrying out Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Warden Training throughout Scotland.

Our goal is to provide effective Fire Risk Assessments and Training which will give assurance to The Duty Holder that their compliance with sections, applicable to them in The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005: Part 3 has been fulfilled.

We provide informed, written assessments and plan reviews in a timely manner, to assure the safety of the workforce and visitors in premises by recommendation and advice.

To provide suitable training by highly qualified and motivated staff.

Contact: d.webster@fireisk.com  01259 216713 www.fireisk.co.uk

BAFE: BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment)

Bridges 2, The Fire Service College, London Road, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 0RH

Tel : 0844 335 0897 | Fax : 01608 653359 | Email : info@bafe.org.uk

http://www.bafe.org.uk/news-detail.php?id=0000000035

1st Scottish Fire Safety Consultants to be awarded UKAS BAFE SP205 accreditation

Well done us!

We are delighted to inform current and future clients that Fire Isk Assessments & Training Ltd have been awarded 3rd Party Accreditation. This is through the UKAS BAFE SP205 scheme.

We are the first and only Fire Safety Consultants in Scotland to be awarded this accreditation. We will continue to provide the high standards of quality, competence and diligence which we have always strived for and went a long way in gaining this award.

I would like to thank our Staff whose skills,experience and dedication have contributed greatly to this award.

These Logos will soon be on our stationary and clients can be assured that we meet the high standards required for this accreditation for all their Fire Safety requirements.

Scottish fire deaths up 10% despite fall in house fires

Provisional figures from the Scottish Government have shown an increase in fire deaths, despite a 17% reduction in the total number of fires.

Figures for 2011-12 show that there were 57 fatalities, an increase of 5 on the previous year. The total number of fires fell to 32,204, down from 38,970 in 2010-11.

Primary fires – that is all fires in non-derelict buildings and outdoor structures, fires involving casualties or rescues or any fires with more than five appliances in attendance – account for 39% of fires, with the remaining 58% being classed as secondary fires.

The figures were compiled by Scotland’s chief statistician and the news that fatalities in Scotland has risen in the last financial year is likely to cause concern as the Scottish Government continue preparations for the establishment of a single Scottish Fire Service.

However the figure of 57 is still the third lowest of the last ten years.

The leading cause of fatal fires was smoking materials with 21 of the 47 deaths (45%) in accidental dwelling fires as a result of ‘smokers’ materials and matches’.

Accidental dwelling fires overall were down to a ten year low of 5,116 with 17% as a result of impairment due to suspected alcohol and/or drugs use.

Roseanna Cunningam, community safety minister, said: "It is thanks to the work of fire and rescue services - which I have seen fantastic examples of in schools, workplaces and communities - that house fires are continuing to decrease across Scotland and lives are being saved.

"It is a tragedy however that lives continue to be lost to fire every year. Every death is devastating and underlines that we all need to be on our guard against the risks.

"Once again, alcohol and/or drugs were suspected to have been a factor in at least one in six accidental house fires.

"Although other key figures in this publication indicate an improving awareness of the danger of fire in our homes, this underlines that a link remains between alcohol, drug use and fire.”

Higher casualty rate than England and Wales

Overall, the figures show that despite some encouraging signs, including the reduction in number of accidental house fires, the rate of fatal casualties per million remains higher than in England and Wales.

Image copyright Scottish Government

Although the 2011-12 figures for England and Wales are not yet available, the rate of fatal fire deaths per million in 2010-11 was 10 in Scotland, compared to 6.3 and 7 in England and Wales.

Scottish residents are being reminded of the dangers of smoking, and of drugs and alcohol, as well as the importance of ensuring a working smoke alarm is present.

A shocking 34% of house fires in 2011-12 had no smoke alarm present, and a further 13% had a non-functioning alarm.

Ms. Cunningham added: "The most important message we can give is not to be complacent and always be on your guard. We also urge you to get a smoke alarm and check it regularly to ensure it is in working order."

The full fire statistics 2011-12 report is available on the Scottish Government website.

From info4fire.

Fire law failings sees prosecutions rise

And in England

Forty percent of businesses are failing to conduct fire risk assessments in accordance with legislation implemented three years ago, warns Aviva Risk Management Solutions (ARMS).

Based on this unsatisfactory level of compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Fire and Rescue Services have issued businesses with 34,500 informal notifications, 3,200 enforcement notices, 442 prohibition notices and 84 alterations notices.

And fire authorities prosecuted 43 per cent more organisations last year for failing to comply with any part of the order.

Andrew Couch, health and safety consultant for ARMS, said: “Though fire service audits increased 20 per cent last year and the number of enforcement notices has fallen, satisfactory compliance rates have remained virtually unchanged in the past two years³.

“As the figures show, this is not going unnoticed by the authorities and is leading to enforcement action. And an increased level of audit activity focusing more on higher risk premises such as care homes, hotels and hospitals will bring more and more firms under the spotlight.”

Successful prosecutions can lead to significant fines. Last November, the high street fashion chain, New Look was fined £400,000 for fire safety breaches at a London branch*.

To help small businesses comply with legislation, ARMS has launched a service in which its risk assessors will conduct fire assessments on a firm’s behalf, producing formal documentation, identifying fire risks and providing evidence that the requirements of the RRO have been fulfilled.

If shortfalls are identified, risk assessors will advise businesses on how fire risks can be improved. This will include details of relevant preferred supplier solutions at competitive prices.

Couch continues: “Often businesses tell us that they either don’t have the time, don’t know where to begin when it comes to fire safety, or they need additional support and advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.

“But failing in the basic responsibilities of completing fire risk assessments means that firms are not only breaking the law but also not managing the hazards on their premises.

“The use of risk assessors to conduct health and safety consultations is a cost effective way to bring in the necessary expertise to ensure fire safety. It can be a useful business strategy until businesses are in a position to appoint their own suitably qualified employee to conduct fire assessments.”

The risk assessment will include a fire safety policy, which identifies fire risks such as combustible or flammable materials and incorporates procedures for evacuation, as well as making recommendations to improve fire risks.

Propane torch used to cook a squirrel may have started this fire

It could only happen in the USA….Couldn’t it?

Holland Township fire-fighters battle a blaze at the Clearview Apartment complex Wednesday afternoon in Holland, Michigan. Fire Chief Jim Kohsel says a person using a propane torch in preparing to eat a squirrel may have sparked the fire. Kohsel says eight apartments were destroyed and others damaged.

Anti-drugs campaigner rescued from 'suspicious' early morning blaze

A fire that drove an anti-drugs campaigner from his Dundee home is being treated as suspicious after a probe by police and fire services.

Ian Connelly, 53, and his dog were rescued from the property at Finavon Terrace in the city's Fintry area around 4am on Thursday.

Mr Connelly has been vocal in his condemnation of local drug dealers since the death of his 23-year-old son Liam Connelly in 2010.

It is understood Liam was under the influence of mephedrone, known as "bubbles", when he walked into the path of a lorry on the busy A90, which links Dundee with Aberdeen.

Neighbours raised the alarm on Thursday morning and when firefighters arrived they found a blaze in the property's living room.

Mr Connelly was asleep upstairs and had to be assisted to safety along with his dog. He was uninjured in the incident.

Tayside Fire and Rescue Service and Tayside Police launched a joint investigation into the fire. That probe concluded that the circumstances surrounding the blaze were suspicious.

A spokesman for Tayside Police said: "Tayside Police can confirm that, following the conclusion of the joint investigation, the fire at a house in Dundee's Finavon Terrace this morning is being treated as suspicious.

"Tayside Police and Tayside Fire and Rescue who carried out the investigation, attended the scene at around 4am this morning, and found a 53-year-old man within. The fire was quickly extinguished and the occupier was assisted from the building, fortunately uninjured. However, the consequences could have been far worse.

"Officers are urging anyone who has information that could assist them with their enquiries, including anyone who saw or heard suspicious activity or persons in the area at the time to contact Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222."

From STV

Fire door bodies sound the alarm on fire safety law compliance

Two fire safety organisations in the construction industry have raised urgent concerns with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as part of the Government’s review of enforcement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, commonly known as the RRO.

BIS is currently gathering people’s views and experiences of working with fire safety officers and local fire and rescue authorities where this affects the day-to-day running of businesses, particularly those with 250 or fewer employees. It is also interested to find out where companies get advice on fire safety compliance.

The BWF-CERTIFIRE Fire Door and Doorset Scheme and the UK’s new Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) have both written to BIS to warn of confusion and alarmingly low levels of awareness among many businesses of their responsibilities under the RRO and the crucial impact of fire doors on protecting life and property.

Peter Johnson, chairman of the BWF-CERTIFIRE Scheme, said:

“In almost every prosecution and report relating to the RRO, the lack of understanding of the role and use of fire doors is evident. Just this month we saw the prosecution of a Bideford hotel for malfunctioning fire doors, including reports from guests of a terrifying moment in May when fire raged through the hotel and they became trapped in smoke-filled corridors because a door had jammed shut and another had no door handle. Similar reports of fire door failures crop up on a weekly basis.

“Too often the wrong product is being specified and installed. A fire door is not a homogeneous thing, and it only functions properly when installed correctly with all the right components. People really need to understand the difference between a so-called 'tested product', a product with a certificate, and proper third-party, independently certificated fire doors. Only the latter gives any guarantee of performance.

“We have told BIS that it is essential that building contractors, too often pressurised into ‘value engineered’ specifications, are fully aware of the implications of not choosing a third-party certified fire door and the consequences this may have for those occupying the building. The BWF-CERTIFIRE Scheme will happily provide training and support to any organisation that needs more advice on this aspect of fire safety compliance.”

Of course, once the correct fire doors are installed in any building, the challenge then becomes their effective inspection, maintenance and replacement. This is another area where building owners can fall foul of the RRO, warns Gary Amer, spokesperson for the UK’s new Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS):

“We have an ever-growing dossier of cases where fire doors are no longer compliant, have been badly damaged or simply never given any attention since they were first installed.

“We are also concerned about unclear advice and inconsistent rulings on the RRO which can lead some building owners to believe they do not need to worry about the state of their fire doors if sprinklers or other measures are in place.

“However, FDIS has written to Government to alert them to a solution to some of their problems regarding enforcement of the RRO. We now have Europe’s first fire door inspection scheme set up here in the UK and available to train and qualify fire safety professionals. This autumn we will also be launching a register of fully qualified, independently assessed FDIS inspectors who can help businesses in meeting their obligations.

“This is a classic example of an industry-led initiative which will help support official RRO enforcement options and will create a body of expertise here in the UK.”

 

From MOE.

Pop star Duffy saves her cats and dog as blaze rips through her £12m flat

- Cats and dog come before possessions as singer flees fire

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Penthouse flat: Fire broke out (PICTURE BY: NIGEL HOWARD)

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04 October 2012

It's a question often asked in celebrity interviews — if fire was engulfing your home, what would you rescue first?

Welsh singer Duffy, 28, can now answer from experience: her pets.
She was forced to flee her £12 million home in Kensington last night after a blaze broke out in the loft-style apartment.
Ignoring possessions — it’s not known whether her Grammy award and three Brits were stored there , her only thought was for her two cats and a dog.
Neighbours said the Smoke Without Fire singer appeared dazed as she was led from the penthouse, which is on the ninth and 10th floors.
While she managed to rescue the dog and one cat, another called Felix disappeared in the chaos and Duffy was seen crying out: “Where’s my cat? Come on, come here.”
Neighbour Maria McLeod. 47, gave the singer coffee after she fled the blaze but didn’t realise who she was at the time. She said: “I gave her a cup of coffee and she said her cleaner was there and needed some too. She was lovely, just in shock.
“I asked her what had happened. She said ‘that’s my flat!’ kind of half-laughing in shock.
“She said that when she left the flat she had to shout ‘Felix this is your last chance!’ She thought they would have to leave him there.
“I just felt sorry for her.”
Rassa Borghei, 58, who lives on the fifth floor, said: “She was running about all over the place. When the police arrived they calmed her.” A friend eventually found the cat hiding under a white van and after being reunited with her owner, the two were driven away in a black Mercedes just before 10pm.
More than 20 other residents in the block weren’t so lucky — they had to spend the night in a nearby rescue centre after being told to evacuate their flats.
While Duffy’s cats escaped without injury, neighbours say the singer also had pet goldfish. Their fate is unknown. More than 60 firefighters battled for six hours to put out the fire, which started just before 7pm, and crews were continuing to dampen down the building this morning. An investigation has been launched.
The rented apartment has its own swimming pool, cinema and two outdoor terraces. Duffy was due to leave the property in the next few days.
The fire comes just as the singer, whose full name is Aimee Ann Duffy, was beginning to make her first tentative steps back into the music world. She rocketed to fame in 2008 with her debut album Rockferry which sold 1.6 million copies but her second album, Endlessly, had disappointing sales and last year her record company announced she was taking an extended break.
A former manager is suing her for breach of contract and last May she split up with Welsh international rugby star Mike Phillips.
It is thought she had recently returned to the recording studio and was due to perform in the United Arab Emirates this month.

From LonEvening Standard

Dumfries & Galloway Home Smoke Alarms require to be Tested.

Dumfries and Galloway smoke alarm failure checks urged

Home owners in Dumfries and Galloway have been urged to check their smoke alarms are working.

The warning came after it emerged the region had the highest rate of fire-damaged homes in Scotland where smoke alarms failed to go off.

Figures for the past 12 months showed the detectors did not work in 32 of the 106 house fires in the region.

Jim Waugh of Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue said some had not been close enough to the fire to be activated.

However, he said that on other occasions the alarms had been faulty or the batteries removed or flat.

He said householders should take a few seconds to check that their detectors were working properly.

"We are pleased with the number of smoke alarms that we have fitted in houses and that are detecting fires," he said.

"We appreciate everybody has busy lives but it only takes about 10 seconds to check a smoke alarm on a weekly or fortnightly basis

"We would encourage householders to do that and make sure that they do have a working smoke alarm because they do save lives."

From BBC Scotland

A Fire Plan for Your Home

The numbers of fires in Commercial Properties  in Scotland continue to decrease. This may be attributed to Fire Risk Assessments being carried out on these premises. Unfortunately, the numbers of fires in domestic properties are not decreasing and deaths in the home are all too frequent.

 Because the majority of these fires occur in the home, it’s of vital importance that every family has a fire evacuation plan in place. While no homeowner wants to consider the possibility of losing everything they’ve worked so hard to acquire, ensuring that you and your children are armed with the information you need to survive a house fire could mean the difference between an unfortunate event and a truly tragic one.
Prepare
Making sure that you have taken the proper precautionary measures as a matter of routine maintenance can make a huge difference in situations where every moment matters. Making sure that your home is stocked with the proper equipment is the first step to planning your evacuation route and fire safety plan.

• Smoke Alarms –Your home should be equipped with smoke alarms on every floor and outside of every bedroom to ensure that each member of the family can hear the alarm clearly enough to awaken from a sound sleep, should it go off. The batteries in your smoke alarms should be changed when you reset your clocks for daylight savings time, or more frequently if they begin to emit the chirping noise that indicates low battery power.
• Fire Extinguishers – You should place a fire extinguisher on every floor, including one in the kitchen where cooking fires can quickly get out of control. Upstairs extinguishers should be kept in central locations for ease of access. As an extra precaution, keeping a fire extinguisher near any sources of heat, such as a fireplace or an outdoor fire pit/ b-b-q, is wise.
• Emergency Escape Ladders – Houses with more than one level and bedrooms on upper floors should be equipped with an emergency escape ladder in each of those bedrooms. Children should be instructed on the proper use of such ladders when they’re old enough to manage them without assistance.

Plan
Making a plan of action for your family to adhere to in the event of a fire can be a difficult task for many reasons, not least of which is a simple reluctance to consider the possibility of losing everything you own in a blaze. Making that plan, however, could very well mean the difference between your family making it out of a burning home intact, or suffering a devastating loss.

• Pick a Meeting Point – For any disaster, natural or otherwise, your family should have a designated meeting point for everyone to converge, should you become separated. Make sure that your children know where to go after they escape from a house fire or other catastrophe, and how to reach that point on their own.
• Choose an Emergency Contact – Choosing an emergency contact, such as a close friend or a member of your extended family, for your children and spouse to call in the event of a fire that leaves you separated can help each member of your family determine that everyone made a successful escape if you’re unable to reach the designated meeting point.
• Determine the Quickest Exit from Each Bedroom – Because older members of the family will almost certainly attempt to assist the younger ones, it’s important that everyone in your family knows the quickest and safest exit from each bedroom in the house.
• Teach Children More Than One Route – Ideally, your children will be accompanied by an adult as they escape a burning house. Unforeseen events, however, can leave them to make the trek alone. Because of this, it’s imperative that you teach your children how to safely evacuate your home by themselves, and how to choose the best route to do so.

Practice
After your evacuation route is decided upon and memorized by everyone in the family, it’s wise to periodically practice your fire evacuation plan by staging regular drills. During these drills, covering the basics of concepts such as “Stop, Drop, and Roll” is advised. Kids should learn how to stay low on the ground to avoid excessive smoke inhalation, to test doorknobs for blistering heat before grasping them, and to close doors behind them as they move from room to room to slow the spread of fire.

This has been adapted from Jeralyn Nelson, Housesittingjobs.com  

From: The Daily Mail

My comments in bold at the end of the article.

More than 280 workers die after huge fire in factory 'that supplies clothes to Gap stores in the UK'

• At least 25 workers died in shoe factory in Lahore
• Hours later, a fire in a garment factory in Karachi claimed 289 lives
• Karachi plant 'supplied clothes to Selfridges and Gap stores in the UK'
• Workers trapped in basement, others forced to jump from roof or third-floor windows

• Flames ripped through a garment factory in Karachi, killing 289 people. Hours earlier, a fire killed at least 25 workers in a shoe factory in Lahore.

Last night it was claimed in Pakistan that the factory in Karachi supplied clothes to Selfridges and Gap outlets in the UK.
A relative of one of the owners of the factories said many other clothes made there ended up in the UK.

Blaze: Firefighters extinguish flames at the garment factory in Karachi, said to 'supply clothes to Gap stores in the UK'

Rescue: The fire crews attempt to save workers within the Karachi factory

Grief: A woman mourns the loss of at least one relative outside the Karachi factory

The factory is about 3000 square yards which had four main gates. Three of which were closed after a theft in the factory.
All the four owners of the factory are still at large. The items of the company were also exported to states of Northern America.
Many women and children were thought to be among the dead in Karachi, where a lot of the victims were burned alive.
Others suffocated in the four-storey building, which had metal grilles on many of the windows.
Workers have revealed how they jumped from third floor windows to escape the blaze at a garment factory in Karachi, where many victims were trapped in a basement.
In Lahore, staff at a shoe factory claimed a faulty generator sparked the fire.
'We saw our colleagues burning alive, in flames,' said Shabdir Hussain, from his hospital bed. 'We could do nothing. We saved our lives by jumping from the roof.'

Firefighters were still trying to subdue the blaze in Karachi yesterday morning, as hospital staff revealed its morgue was full with 'around 30 bodies burnt beyond recognition all lined up'.
'People started screaming for their lives,' said factory worker Mohammad Asif, 20. 'Everyone came to the window. I jumped from the third floor.'
Another worker, Liaqat Hussain, 29, spoke from his hospital bed where he was being treated for burns all over his body. He said: 'Within two minutes there was fire in the entire factory.

'The gate was closed. There was no access to get out, we were trapped inside.'

Doomed: Firefighters remove the body of one of the trapped Karachi workers

Surveying the scene: Locals gather to witness the last of the flames being dealt with in Karachi

Fire chief Ehtisham-ud-Din said most of the garment factory deaths were caused by suffocation as people caught in the basement were unable to escape.
Senior Superintendent of Police Amir Farooqi revealed that police were raiding parts of Karachi to search for the owners of the factory, which employed around 450 people.
Smoke was still rising from the garment factory as rescue workers pulled out charred corpses and covered them in white sheets.
Weeping relatives of workers stood around in the street awaiting word of their fate.
At least 35 people were injured. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
The death toll from the late Tuesday fires is likely to raise fresh questions about industrial safety in the South Asian nation and draw more criticism of the deeply unpopular government.

Gruesome task: Medical staff try to identify the bodies of the deceased taken from the Karachi garment factory

Crowds: A group watches on as firefighters deal with the blaze at a shoe factory in Lahore

Critics say Pakistan's government is too corrupt and ineffective to focus on the welfare of workers and a dizzying array of other problems, from crippling power cuts, to widespread poverty to a Taliban insurgency.
Are these the headlines we want to see in Scotland. Make sure that Fire, which is a Devolved issue is not included in the UK Governmet's rush to De-Regulate Health & Safety. The Scottish Government should ensure that non domestic premises in Scotland are exempt from these draconian measures. The existing Legislation has served well with a large drop in the number of fires in Commercial properties in Scotland since it's inception. It is argued the the requirement to have a Fire Risk Assessment has contributed in no small measure to this decrease.
If we take away this requirement as part of a drive for De-Regulation, these headlines unfortuneatly might become common in the UK.

Health and Safety inspections cut in Regulation curb

Health and Safety inspections cut in Regulation curb

My Comments in bold.

Plans to exempt thousands of businesses from health and safety inspections have been announced by ministers. There is no specific mention of Fire, but I would expect this to be the case.

Under new rules to be introduced in April 2013, checks will no longer be routinely carried out on premises considered to be low risk.

Ministers say the checks can place an unnecessary burden on some businesses, but some trade unions say it risks the safety of employees and customers.

The government says it will scrap or change more than 3,000 regulations.

It says its drive to cut bureaucracy will save companies millions of pounds.

Under plans announced by Business Minister Michael Fallon, shops, offices, pubs and clubs will no longer face health and safety inspections.

How can Michael Fallon determine generically what is low risk just by the Purpose Group? How can you deem a Pub or Club to be Low Risk when you have hundreds, possibly thousands of people in often overcrowded areas, not familiar with the building and under the influence of alcohol? How can Offices with a myriad of electrical appliance (Highest cause of fire in the UK) be deemed Low Risk without an assessment?

Mr Fallon said the overhaul would also include changes to rules on employment, but denied that the moves would reduce job security.

'Burdensome inspections'

Businesses will only face health and safety inspections if they are operating in areas deemed to be higher-risk, such as construction and food production, or if they have had an accident or a track record of poor performance.

The numbers of Fires in Construction and Food Manufacturing is so low that they are included in "others" in the latest Scottish Fire statistics. See Table 6.

This shows that the number of Fires in Entertainment, Sport & Culture premises was 143.

The number of Fires in Food & drink premises was 194. This is a total of 337 fires in one of the Purpose Groups Michael Fallon wants to de-regulate.

This figure far outweighs the number of fires in Construction sites and Food manufacturing.

Ministers also said legislation would be introduced next month to ensure that businesses will only be held liable for civil damages in health and safety cases if they can be shown to have acted negligently.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said businesses need to focus on creating jobs and growth rather than "being tied up in unnecessary red tape".

He said: "I've listened to those concerns and we're determined to put common sense back into areas like health and safety, which will reduce costs and fear of burdensome inspections."

And Mr Fallon said the move injects "fresh impetus" into the government's drive to cut red tape.

"We have identified the red tape and now we are going to cut it," he said.

Business groups have welcomed the plan.

Alexander Ehmann, head of regulatory policy at the Institute of Directors, said the announcement was "good news" if it marked "the beginning, not the end, of the deregulation story".


'Lethal consequences'

Michael Fallon: government wants to cut business regulations by half

"Excessive regulation costs time and money, both of which businesses would rather spend on developing new products, hiring staff and building up British business both here and abroad," he said.

But some trade unions have voiced opposition to the move.

And Bob Crow, leader of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union called it an "all-out attack on safety" which he said will have "lethal consequences for workers and the public alike as businesses are given the green light to cut corners".

Source BBC

My goodness. Here we go again. Shades of the De-Regulation task force during the Thatcher years. Health & Safety has been given a rough ride in recent years because of daft decisions. Not by Health & Safety professionals but by amateurs trying to "do the right thing".

There is no mention Fire as being part of this drive but I would not be surprised if it is included. I understand that Business organisations such as The Federation of Small Businesses have been actively lobbying the Government regarding what they see as burdens to Businesses.

It will be a bigger burden if someone loses their life because the requisite knowledge to ascertain whether premises are safe or not is not available.

Surely it is up to the Assessment as to when the Assessment review takes place.

Fire is a Devolved matter and The Scottish Government should not follow in the footsteps of this mad dash to De-regulation. Fires have de-creased substantially in non domestic properties. Argueably because of the Assessments being carried out by Fire Safety Professionals making sure that premises are safe and giving advice via an action plan if the premises are not safe.

If these proposals are followed in Scotland it will make the probability of having a fire in the workplace higher.

This, at a time when many Fire Safety Departments are cutting Staff and the Audits and Inspection numbers are decreasing. The only people ensuring Public and Staff members' safety are private Companies carrying out Fire Risk Assessments on behalf of the Duty Holder.

If this ceases to be a requirement, the instances of fire will undoubtedly increase and fatal Fire Statistics will undoubtedly rise and all the good work carried out in recent years will be undone. In the last week there have been fires in Pakistan & India where there has been an enormous loss of life. These Countries do not have the same Fire Safety requirements as we have in the UK and this is the first step towards a non conformance regime as seen in these and other countries.

Existing Fire Regulations, The Regulatory Reform (Fire) Order 2005 (in England & Wales) and The Fire (Scotland) Act part 3 2005 (in Scotland) were brought in to take the place of Certification under The Fire Precautions Act 1971. These Certificates were issued by The Fire Authority when certain conditions were met. The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 were also superseded by todays Legislation.

If this De Regulation does include Fire, the whole concept of knowing one's limitations as a Duty Holder are going to be disregarded as the Duty Holder/Responsible Person is being encouraged to save money by not using Professionals. This is a false premise as one third of Businesses involved in Fire never re-open. What then of Michael Fallon's "developing new products, hiring staff" when there is no Business left?

Under these proposals, there will be no inspections of these premises by either The Fire Authority or Fire Safety Professionals. A recipe for disaster.