| Fire safety inspectors often visit places to check whether fire safety order 2005 is properly adhered or not |
Risk assessment and fire safety arrangements must be kept under review by the responsible person adhering to Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
A landlord has been ordered to pay over £16,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to serious breaches of fire safety legislation following a prosecution brought by the London Fire Brigade. Jagjit Singh Rai admitted guilt to seven contraventions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Mr Rai managed a house of multiple occupation (HMO) above a Costcutters on 101 Lansbury Drive, Hayes, Middlesex. On 16 May 2009 firefighters were called to a fire at the Costcutters. The crews noticed that no smoke alarm had sounded in the HMO despite the presence of smoke. Fire safety inspectors subsequently visited the address and found a number of fire safety breaches which included no suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the premises.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a duty on a defined 'responsible person' (the person who controls the premises e.g. a landlord/manager/owner) for the premises to carry out a fire risk assessment, take appropriate measures to minimise the risk of fire and implement general fire precautions to protect people in the premises if a fire occurs. The risk assessment and fire safety arrangements must be kept under review by the responsible person.
Assistant Commissioner for fire safety regulation Steve Turek said: "Knowing about fire safety is not an option if you are the responsible person it is a necessity and if people do not adhere to the legislation then as shown in this case we can prosecute. All premises owners and operators must undertake a fire safety risk assessment, which is now mandatory, act upon its findings and put in place an emergency plan." The sentencing took place at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on 13 September 2010.