Fire risk assessments are not exactly high on the list of priorities for everyone. Some small businesses might think fire evacuation procedures are not important. So spare a thought for the business owner in Scotland who didn’t think a fire would ever affect his organisation.

The business was unlucky enough to suffer a fire and they didn’t have an evacuation procedure, they probably couldn’t find the time to do it – especially as there 101 other things to do every week to keep the business afloat.

The fire brigade arrived yet the absence of an evacuation procedure (which should be tried and tested) meant that no-one at the premises could tell the brigade if anyone was left in the building.

The search for survivors was on and, until that was completed, attention couldn’t be turned to saving the property. After all, priorities are always people before property. In this instance the brigade were compelled to spend time looking for people as the building burned. No problem so far, until the insurance assessor started asking questions.

Fire safety is a prerequisite to insurance. It’s enshrined in health and safety legislation and insurance cover works best if health and safety law has been followed. The insurance claims department decided that the time it took to look for people could have been spent dowsing the flames.

Hence, they didn’t pay the total amount claimed stating that the policyholder was negligent and contributed to the size of the loss. I’ve been unable to determine whether or not his broker had advised him that one of the policy conditions was up to date health and safety planning. If he wasn’t I have some sympathy for him. Yet he should still have attended to the fire regulations, worst case scenario is an injury to someone trapped in the building, and no-one would have sympathised if that had happened.

We all think that it won’t happen to us. Even I did until my washing machine caught fire (quite common according to the brigade that put it out). The fire in Dean Street caused a complete evacuation in central London which prevented a total loss. I am now being asked about business continuity. A client of a business colleague was severely affected by this incident which started from nothing when an air conditioning unit started smoking and an electrical fire spread quickly. Here’s the BBC’s silent video of the incident

Top Tip: Business Owners should address health and safety in order for their insurance cover to apply. Fire risk assessments are not hard to undertake.

See our Top Tips section for simple ways to help yourself today.

Related posts:

1. Health & Safety
2. Health & Safety Inspections – coming soon?
3. Discover how your business network can help your clients

On the spot fines following these inspections have been increased to £20,000. Find out if your business is at risk and review our 7 free top tips on Health & Safety.

There are three reasons why you may hear from the health & safety “police”. All of them are beyond your control.

1. Someone disgruntled with an axe to grind
2. Incident or Accident
3. Spot check

 The first is very rare and relates to employees or ex-employees, competitors, neighbours or just about anyone else that isn’t a fan. Perhaps your partner if you’re a workaholic.

Number 2 speaks for itself yet it would have to be something serious. You may be responsible for reporting it to the authorities yourself because of regulations such as Riddor protocols (click here for a simple guide to RIDDOR from the health & safety executive). Or the emergency services or healthcare professionals may report to the local authorities.

Spot checks are unlikely yet I was introduced to a company last year that had been inspected on a spot check and given 7 days to attend to the inspectors concerns about asbestos. They would have been closed down if they did not. It was their bank manager that asked me to help. He had his client’s best interests at heart and asked me to find someone to handle this ASAP. The next day my contact visited the client and solved his problem.

Apart from these three reasons there is also the law, the recently increased fines, the hassle of tribunals or courts and evidence that businesses with robust health and safety plans make more profit.

See our top tips section for simple ways to help yourself today.

Related posts:

1. Health & Safety
2. Insurance Myths – Part 3
3. Want to secure cashflow despite bad luck?

A plumbing and heating engineer has recently been jailed for carrying out gas work whilst not being registered. He had used another engineer’s registration after he was served with a prohibition notice. His work left innocent households with heating systems without hot water. Subsequent inspections determined the work was not up to “current standards”

Gas registration rules have changed and the body now approved is the Gas Safe Register. Approved engineers will supply a Landlords Gas Safety Certificate after checking your systems.

People are still killed in the UK because of faulty gas appliances. Landlords are responsible for the safety of their tenants and the HSE recommends checking contractors Gas Safe Register identity card. 

It makes sense to use a local contractor. To find one, you can search the  http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/ For further information  call the HSE Gas Safety Advice Line 0800 300 363.

Click here for our 7 top tips for property owners.

Related posts:

1. Health & Safety
2. Health & Safety Inspections – coming soon?
3. Building Contractor