Fire safety is an important consideration for universities
A number of recent incidents in educational institutions such as the false alarms and electrical short circuits in halls of residences at Bangor University only serve as another reminder of the importance of fire safety on these premises.
And with the new influx of students to university throughout the UK it is more crucial than ever to think about the safety on campus and in student residencies.
Speaking about the misuse of North Wales firefighters’ time due to these kinds of situations, Eilian Roberts, watch manager at Bangor Fire Station, has warned:
“We expect some false alarms at the beginning of a new term as people settle in their residence, but we are concerned about repeated false alarms that tie up our resources and are particularly keen to prevent more serious incidents.”
There is also the issue of arson as many educational establishments are targeted by those who set fires deliberately. This is why a Fire Safety in Educational Premises course is vital for those who work in education.
Arson reduction measures and fire safety procedures are therefore necessary on university property and training is required to help people understand more about fire safety and what can be done around campus.
Fulham landlord fined for breach of fire safety regulations
A landlord of a Fulham property was hit by a series of fines after failing to maintain conditions for his tenants it was revealed today.
Two months ago Rizwan Ahmed had to pay back £37,000 in rent, and now he has had to pay another £20,000 for a breach of regulations and not having the necessary House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) license needed to rent out property with five tenants or more.
In addition to these findings by the Residential Property Tribunal (RPT), where Hammersmith & Fulham Council were able to reclaim a year’s worth of housing benefits, Mr Ahmed was found to have failed in his duty to maintain fire doors and fire alarms within the property.
The RPT said that had there been a fire in the building, the blaze could have spread through the property quite rapidly.
If you are a landlord, hotel owner or run your own business, t is not worth risking a breach of regulations by failing to maintain the fire safety procedures in a building. Always make sure that fire safety equipment like fire alarms are installed and in full working order. You may also be required to send a number of your employees on a suitable fire warden training course.
Recent fire news from across the UK
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire in a Duns warehouse last Tuesday afternoon.
Due to the fact an acetylene cylinder was found at the Scottish Borders property by firefighters, a cordon had to be set up around the scene.
The fire was eventually extinguished before it could reach the dangerous asbestos located in the roof of the building.
In other news, fire crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire at a waste management facility in Bootle last Tuesday morning.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze on Bankhall Lane which burned around 120 tonnes of household rubbish.
Finally, a blaze at an unused Chesham hospital in Buckinghamshire is being treated as suspicious.
Over 25 firefighters from Amersham, Beaconsfield, Chesham and High Wycombe attended the scene at Chesham Cottage Hospital last Monday evening to put out the fire.
Accidental fires, as well as arson, are becoming a widespread problem for businesses in the UK. This is why the appropriate fire safety measures are necessary for every organisation. It is imperative that selected members of staff are trained to be fire wardens. Make sure you consider sending your employees on a fire training course today.
Fire crews attend supermarket coffee machine explosion
Despite there being no instance of a fire, firefighters from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to a supermarket where a coffee machine had exploded on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident at Sainsbury’s in the Kingsmead Shopping Centre, Farnborough in Hampshire caused injuries to seven people with most requiring hospital treatment at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said the blast was due to a ruptured pipe in the machine.
He explained:
“Colleague and customer safety is our main priority.
“The store was evacuated and closed while the council’s environmental health officers undertook an inspection.
“The cafe will remain closed until we have completed a full investigation into the cause of this incident.”
The explosion occurred at around 12.20pm on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, who attended the scene, said:
“Crews from Rushmoor fire station attended the incident, where they found no fire.
“However, a number of people were in need of first aid treatment. Fire-fighters assisted with first aid and made the scene safe.”
As well as fire safety training, when you go on a reputed course run by qualified firefighters you can also find first aid training too. This can come in handy in instances such as this one.
Fire Warden Training – Edinburgh
Informative, clear, easy to follow – Colin Smith
2nd time on course but still learnt things that I had either forgotten or didn’t know from previous – David Cumming
Good mixture of different visual aids to reinforce the information – Alison Alexander
Very interesting & informative – Ann Stewart