Huge fines for fire safety breach businesses
High fines for company’s that breach fire safety regulations are set to continue.
Rather than fines being purely based on the seriousness of the breaches, they will also be closely linked to the company’s turnover. High street fashion retailer New Look discovered this first hand when it was ordered to pay out £400,000 earlier this year after a fire broke out at the Oxford Circus branch.
Safety breach restaurant owner faces prison
The owner of a Chinese takeaway faces jail after breaching a series of fire safety regulations at his restaurant in Llandybie.
Fire officers found that fire doors had been held open with fire extinguishers and escape routes were not adequate. Mr Bhuiya was also using the first floor of the property as sleeping accommodation which was not permitted.
Mr Bhuiya will be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on November 17 and has been told to expect a fine or even a prison sentence.
Landlord putting tenant’s lives at risk is forced to close building
A Cheshire landlord has been fined £6,000 and £2,500 in legal costs after being found guilty of breaching a number of fire safety regulations. Firefighters took the decision to ban anyone from inhabiting the property due to the seriousness of the situation.
The property was found to have locked fire escape routes, inadequate fire alarms and blocked fire exits.
Mr Meloni has now been permitted to open some of the flats now that he has successfully implemented fire safety measure and has produced an adequate fire risk assessment with the help and guidance of the fire service.
Bakery owner pleads guilty to fire safety offences
The owner of a Salford bakery has pleaded guilty to breaching 3 fire safety regulations.
The bakery was ordered to pay almost £9,000 in fines and costs, and will have to ensure health and safety failings are rectified. This includes carrying out a suitable fire risk assessment and ensuring fire alarms and escape routes are in full working order.
Councillor Paul Shannon said “we welcome the clear message from the courts that action will be taken against those businesses that neglect fire safety and thereby risk the safety of staff and the public”.
Plymouth landlord pays £6,000 after breaching fire safety regulations
A landlord in Plymouth has been found guilty of breaching fire safety regulations and has been ordered to pay £3,500 in fines and more than £2,500 in costs after a fire safety audit on the premises.
The audit revealed that Mr Penprase had failed to provide adequate fire alarms and emergency lighting and exits. The magistrates claimed that Mr Penprase has put his tenant’s lives at risk by neglecting his responsibilities as a landlord.
After the safety audit, Mr Penprase said that he did not know of the fire safety requirements. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said that “ignorance of the law is not a defence”.