Timely fire safety warning for homeowners with chimneys

As we are nearing the end of October and temperatures are starting to fall, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has issued a warning to those beginning to use their fires again, to ensure they get their chimneys cleaned professionally.

This advice has come following a number of fires where the owners of the home had neglected to get the chimney swept for winter or where logs were piled up alongside woodburners.

A spokesman for the fire service said:

“We have been called to a number of fires in the South Devon area recently which could have been prevented by the owners making sure their chimneys were cleaned before the start of the colder weather.

“There has also been a fire in which the owners had piled logs next to the wood burner and through convection and radiation the logs heated up and caught fire.

“Often people think this is a good way of drying out logs, but it can very dangerous.”

The fire service also offered some advice to those with chimneys explaining how professional cleaning is the only way to be sure they are fully clear of debris. They also explained how logs should be stored well away from a woodburner and that those with old houses should look out for exposed beams near the chimney area.

Indian restaurant owners guilty of breaching fire safety regulations

Two owners of an Indian restaurant in Mutley, a suburb of Plymouth, have been fined for a breach of fire regulations following a recent fire which was spotted by a passer-by last November.

The smoke alarms and detectors put in place at Mutley Spice were found to be inadequate while fire exits had been blocked.

Nobody was injured in the blaze but part of the building was severely damaged.

Faizul Hoque and Taklus Hussain were each fined £4,000 in addition to prosecution costs as they attended court to face the charges.

Presiding magistrate Diana Greene said:

“We were horrified at the extent of your non-compliance. If a random passer-by had not seen the smoke the outcome could have been extremely different. It hardly bears thinking about.”

Although the owners of the restaurant had not purposely left the building without adequate fire safety in place, this situation just goes to show what can happen if you do not take this seriously.

The risk of fire is greater in these types of establishments with a kitchen, so if you are a restaurant owner then it is necessary to consider your own fire safety procedures and ensure that you have smoke detectors in place for the safety of your staff as well as your customers.

A ‘Fire Safety in Kitchens and Restaurants’ course can cover all of these things and more, helping you to protect your business.

HSE update to construction fire safety

Last week, the Health and Safety Executive announced that it had published a revised guidance on “Fire Safety in Construction” due to the increasing fire risk to workers and members of the public on construction sites.

It is hoped that the new guidance is able to prevent fires in the first place as well as offering safety advice on what to do in the event of a fire.

HSE Chief Inspector of Construction, Philip White, said:

“At worst, fires can and do kill. They can also badly injure and cause serious human suffering and financial loss. Preventing them must be a priority on any building project.

“We have updated the guidance to take account of changes in the law and recent fires on construction sites. It includes new information on higher risk building such as timber frame and multi storey construction and outlines the extra precautions which need to be taken with these.

“Our inspectors would prefer to offer advice but if lives and livelihoods are at risk they will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”

Fire safety training is a must for construction workers and anyone associated with this industry. There are now courses specifically designed for those who work on construction sites.

Fire safety warning to hoteliers

Following the report on Wednesday where we revealed that a hotel in Cheshire was fined for being in serious breach of the regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, this should act as a reminder of what can happen if you neglect your duties when it comes to fire safety in hotels.

By just ensuring that fire safety procedures are in place, working fire alarms are installed and staff are trained in what to do in the event of a fire, you can save a lot of time and money putting it right should you ever get caught out.

When it comes to fire safety in hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts, the issues faced are exclusive to this type of business, due to the number of people staying on these premises at any one time. You have a responsibility as a business owner to ensure the safety of the guests who are staying in your establishment and you can do this by making them aware of the fire safety procedures in place.

A ‘Fire Safety in Hotels’ course is also available to train your employees as fire wardens within this industry, where they will learn how to keep a track of the guests present at any time, make sure all rooms are evacuated in the event of a fire and ensure that this is done as safely as possible.

Fire management system saves plant from severe fire damage

Thanks to an effective fire safety system in place at a recycling centre in Kidderminster, fire crews were quick onto the scene of a blaze which broke out last Tuesday morning, thus preventing any major damage to the premises.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) attended the scene at around 3:30am following alerts from a fire alarm plus reports of smoke at Forge Recycling in Stourport Road.

Firefighters were able to attend to the fire straight away and managed to extinguish the blaze with only minimal damage.

Group manager of the fire service, Mick Cadman, said:

“Thanks to the sprinkler system and the early intervention of our fire crews, the fire was contained to just one area inside one of the 12 access bays at the plant.

“The company had detailed contingency plans which they brought into operation quickly and this, along with the assistance from their health and safety manager and their on-site drainage plan, made a real difference to the operation.”

The managing director at Forge Recycling, David Lawrence, added his thoughts to the successful operation when he said:

“The fire management system and all parties involved in implementing it, has saved the facility from a potentially damaging fire. Everyone involved should be congratulated.”