In a recent case of violation of Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a Southampton-based company was prosecuted for non-compliance with fire safety laws.
The company to be prosecuted is ATS Euromaster, and it has been fined a total of £7,500 on several counts of negligence.
When inspectors from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services (HFRS) paid a visit to the company’s premises recently, they found a serious lack of fire safety measures inside the building. It was found that the company had failed to conduct proper fire risk assessment, and that it had not provided adequate training to the manager. The officers also discovered that no alarm systems were in place, no proper lighting was installed at escape routes, and that one of the building’s main fire exits was heavily blocked.
Individual fines were imposed for each act of negligence, and the total penalty added up to £7,500.
Steve Hamm of HFRS, in his interview to the press about the case, said that the case should warn companies about the serious consequences of neglecting health and safety of employees.
ATS Euromaster accepted all the charges at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on November 2. The hearing took place before District Judge Callaway about 40 days later (14 December).
A spokesperson for ATS Euromaster said in this context that the company is always conscious of the health and safety of its workers. He added that it was unfortunate that faults were detected within the company’s building, and that the management took timely action to remedy matters.
For those responsible for fire safety in the workplace, click – fire safety training – for information on a Fire Risk Management one-day workshop. The exercises will help those responsible to better understand what their organisation needs to have in place to comply with fire safety legislation
