Commercial Building Fires Highlight Fire Risk Assessment Benefits

Over the last two days, two fires in commercial buildings have emphasised the benefits of conducting a thorough fire risk assessment.

A car garage in Brighton and a workshop in Tamworth suffered fires yesterday (Sunday 9th January) and today, respectively.

All commercial buildings and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) must select a Responsible Person to carry out a fire risk assessment on the property.

If the fire risk assessment - which should identify, manage and reduce the risk of fire - is not correctly conducted, the Responsible Person can be prosecuted under Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

No one was harmed in the Brighton fire, but West Midlands Ambulance Service said that one man was taken to hospital with severe breathing difficulties after the Tamworth blaze.

If a responsible person is prosecuted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, they can face a fine or imprisonment of up to two years.

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