Fire, Compliance & Safety

Here at FCS our hearts go out to the friends and family of the person who was sadly lost in yet another hotel fire, this time in Harrogate.

Over the past year we have been supporting the activity of John Hughes, who lost two members of his family in the Penhallow fire in Cornwall - another tragedy that could have been avoided if sufficient fire safety measures had been in place. John has launched “Stop Fires”,  a campaign for legal certification to ensure that all sleeping accommodation meets a certain standard - one that the general public will learn to recognise and demand.

This recent tragedy at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate is yet another in what seems to be a year of fires. We all know that fire is devastating to both life, property and business. And yet although the Regulatory Reform Order (2005) was designed to ensure that those responsible for the lives of members of the public whilst in their premises (and that’s pretty much any business) took Fire Safety seriously, many businesses are still either unaware, or choose to ignore the dangers.

We have a new government now (or do we?)… currently we have a government who will pass a law, enforce it (to a degree), but perhaps not take into consideration the financial impositions on a small business to comply with this law… thereby causing most to bury their heads in the sand and keep their fingers crossed that it will never happen to them.  The government now has to dig us out of the economic disaster that we are all living in, but will they help with the cost to small businesses of ensuring their staff, customers and businesses are safe from the destruction of fire?

Holidays are clearly a perilous thing! Will I take my family to stay in a hotel when I have no idea whether it complies with the current Fire Safety legislation? Those of us who work in this industry are more aware, but many millions are not and it’s the responsibility of the Hotel owner to ensure that their guests are “tucked up, safe and sound”.

As of yet there are no answers for the Majestic Hotel fire. It would be nice to think the investigation will find this to be a tragic accident, of the sort that no other action could have prevented. There is always hope, but the jury is out…