Health & Safety News
Fines for Health & Safety Non Compliance Increasing
A corporate landlord and its management company which both failed to carry out a fire risk assessment for an apartment building in London have been fined a total £250,000 after a fire broke out and destroyed the premises.
Property owner Crownpark Investments along with City Estates, which managed the six-floor terraced house conversion on Eccleston Square in Pimlico, pleaded guilty to three offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court.
City Estates was fined £120,000 for not carrying out a fire risk assessment, £15,000 for failing to equip the premises with adequate fire detection, and £15,000 for failing to ensure persons could evacuate the building safely.
Crownpark Investments was fined £80,000, £10,000 and £10,000 for the same breaches respectively.
The fine is the biggest financial penalty handed down in a fire safety prosecution case brought by the LFB relating to a single privately rented property. LFB was also awarded full prosecution costs of £49,500.
Fire Safety is just as important as H&S. Check your fire risk assessment and your fire procedures to ensure you are legally complaint. Call us on 0800 634 2923 for further information.
Health & Safety Myths?
Issue
Employer stopped proving funds for alcoholic drinks at Christmas night out (offsite), citing health and safety.
Panel opinion
While the employer may have a proper concern to discourage staff from overdoing it where it is funding a night out, claiming health and safety legislation as the reason for its refusal to fund Christmas party drinks on a staff night out is incorrect.