Prosecution a high price to pay

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)
Order 2005 (FSO) replaced more
than 70 pieces of fire safety
legislation and came into force in
October 2006. However, this attempt
to simplify legislation has
not had a significant impact
on compliance, with courts
ordering individuals and
companies to pay more than
£1m fines and costs last year
in London for breaches of the FSO.

Those prosecuted ranged from
multinational companies to oneperson
businesses. High-profile cases
included Shell International being
fined £300,000, and high street
retailer New Look paying more than
£400,000 after a serious fire at its
Oxford Street store in 2007. The cost
of fire damage also stands at a record
level, with insurers paying out over
£1.3 billion in 2008 .

“Apart from the human risks
associated with fires, organisations
often experience prolonged
disruption to daily activity
and incur significant costs,”
says Des Hancox of the
CIEH. “Spending on fire
safety should be seen as an
investment rather than a cost. To aid
businesses we have launched a suite
of nationally recognised and
accredited fire safety
qualifications, from basic to
advanced to help further reduce
business risk and losses.”