Accommodation | DB Fire Safety

Fire Awareness Training

24th February 2016 by driveby

Fire safety training for staff is a requirement of not only Fire Safety but also Health & Safety legislation.

It is an absolute requirement that all staff receive instruction in respect of how to raise a fire alarm and the evacuation procedures, including the location of all fire exits and the Safe Assembly Point.

It is generally recommended by Health & Safety, as well as Fire Safety Legislation, that all staff receive training in at the very least general fire safety awareness.

There may also be a requirement for some staff to be appointed as Fire Marshalls/Wardens, who, in turn, will be given particular responsibilities in the event of a fire emergency.

Fire safety training is a service Peterborough-based DB Fire Safety offers to assist business owners to comply with the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Employees could be fined up to £5,000 for minor penalities and for the more major penalities there could be unlimited fines or even a custodial sentence.

DB Fire Safety fire awareness training helps business owners to avoid falling victim of fires in the first place and to help them meet their legal obligations.

The training will make employees aware of the causes and the consequences of a fire to safeguard their workplace premises, their stock and, of course, their staff.

According to the Department For Communities & Local Government fire statistics: “In 2013-14, there were 22,200 fires recorded in buildings that were not dwellings. These fires have declined by more than half compared to that in 2003-04. The majority of these occurred in non -residential buildings (e.g. retails units, pubs, wine bars, cafés, take aways, private garage, private garden sheds and industrial manufacturing plants)” – for more information, please visit – https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456652/Fire_Statistics_Great_Britain_2013-14

It’s of paramount importance that employees take into account the fire risk that may be present in their organisations and to make sure that their employees are aware of the causes and consequences.

DB Safety Limited’s training courses are usually held on client’s own premises in Peterborough, Northampton, Cambridge, Leicester and Bedford.

DB Fire Safety also offers e-learning courses that can be undertaken by staff at their leisure. See our website for details…https://www.dbfiresafety.co.uk/online-training/

The courses include training in:

fire safety legislation
what is fire
fire precautions
fire extinguishers and how to use them
specific courses designed for Care Homes

Fire Risk Assessments for Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs)

10th February 2016 by driveby

It was reported recently that a property landlord in Nottingham was fined over £3,000 because he was negligent in protecting his tenants from the risk of fire. The amount of the fine is sending out a strong message to landlords the importance of protecting their tenants from these risks.

You may be thinking that the law is only in place for people runnng a business and renting out several properties. You will be wrong in this assumption. The law also applies to private individuals looking to rent out their properties – all landlords have a duty of care to their tenants.

If you are a private individual looking to rent out a property, it can be helpful to employ a lettings agent. Please be aware that even if you employ a lettings agent the responsibility still lies with you, the owner of the property, to comply with fire safety regulations. You, as a landlord, must rely on your own understanding of the law because you will be leaving yourself wide open to prosecution if your chosen lettings agent is not fully up to speed and there is a fire in the property.

To comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, you as a landlord will be responsible for:

Making provision for an adequate means of escape.
For all properties build after June 1992, mains operated smoke alarms should be fitted on every floor
For older properties, battery-operated smoke alarms should be fitted on every floor
Furnishings, made after 1950 should meet fire resistance regulations.
All dangerous appliances should be removed.

If you are privately renting out just one property, then you will have to adhere to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order which came into effect in October 2006 This law is not to “catch you out” but to protect your tenants. The advice is not to put your profits above your tenants’ safety because all landlords have a duty of care to their tenants.

Remember, if you rent out your property as an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) or as a block of flats, you will require a fire risk assessment.

DB Fire Safety specialises in helping landlords meet their responsibilities under the Order and carrying out fire risk assessments; serving Peterborough, Northampton, Cambridge, Leicester and Bedford.

To arrange a free consultation, please call David Black on 0800 772 0559

Contractors’ living accommodation – a disaster waiting to happen.

8th October 2015 by davidblack

DB Fire Safety was ‘invited’ to carry out a fire risk assessment of a basement in an office block. We cannot name the building (obviously) but suffice it to say that there are 5 floors above the basement – all of which are under major reconstruction. On investigation, the basement had been converted into living accommodation for a large number of contractors working on the building.

Employers must realise and understand that they have a serious duty of care to ensure the safety of all their staff – regardless of their country of origin.

This basement was a disaster waiting to happen. There were no ‘full-height’ partition walls between bedrooms; no fire doors on bedrooms; no testing of the electrical fixed wiring; accepted use of portable electrical appliances that had not been tested. The list went on and on.

Fortunately the HSE and Fire Authority are now involved. If this was a standard HMO it would be shut down immediately.