Health & Safety
Feature
So many business owners think it is acceptable to ignore their fire safety responsibilities. But how do they think their staff feel thinking their employer does not care about their safety or wellbeing? On a daily basis our company’s news feed gets filled with
prosecutions and enforcement action posts because a business owner, landlord or responsible person neglects their legal responsibilities with regards to their fire safety. In the UK last year there was an average of 49 businesses and 77
homes catching fire every single day. Here are five reasons why fire safety is of utmost importance in your business:
1. Safety The most obvious point is ultimately the most important, because should a fire happen at your premises, having fire safety measures in place can save lives.
2. The legal requirement Some people do not realise that it is in fact a legal requirement (Regulatory Reform ‘Fire Safety Order 2005’) for all businesses to have suitable measures in place to protect their building, employees and visitors to the premises. You should always start with a risk assessment to establish your fire safety needs.
3. Invalidating insurance One of the questions most insurance companies ask when going through the statement of facts is whether the premises has a fire alarm or other fire safety measures in place. Falsely answering yes is a criminal offence, and lies will always be caught out. Should a fire break out at your premise, not only will you lose
everything you have worked for, you will also lose your right to claim on your insurance. How will you restart your business without the financial support from your insurance company?
4. Enforcement action Not only will you lose the insurance (and potentially face charges for committing fraud) but you will also be facing enforcement action from the fire service. Every day the fire service prosecutes a business owner that has failed in their duties to protect their employees, visitors or members of the public. Usually, action is enforced before a fire breaks out – instead, it is the
result of a random inspection or a report from a law-abiding citizen. Prosecution usually results in a criminal record, a hefty fine and/or imprisonment.
5. Business reputation Prosecution all too often leads to the loss of reputation, especially if the story of your failure to comply with fire safety laws has been circulated in the media. Is the loss of your business reputation – and your customers – worth the risk?
Consider why you are failing to put fire safety measures in place. If the reasons are motivated by money, it is important to realise that the cost of installing fire safety measures have dropped significantly, especially if you utilise the services of a local company, rather than a national brand. In much the same way that car insurance or council tax can seem like
necessary burdens, as a business owner, you are legally and morally responsible to ensure that fire safety measures are in place in your business. And it’s a small price to pay to guarantee the safety of your staff, clients and customers and uphold your reputation.
Visit
www.fsmltd.net for more information September 2016 CHAMBERLINK 45
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