Hotel Owner Imprisoned for Fire Safety Breaches

Friday 08 July 2011

Business owners and companies contracted to provide Fire Risk Assessments to  businesses are being advised to pay greater attention to Fire Safety legislation  following the sentencing of two Mansfield men at Nottingham Crown Court  today.
David Liu, who runs The Dial Hotel and Market Inn, both in Market Place,
Mansfield, was jailed for 8 months and ordered to pay £15,000 costs after
pleading guilty to 15 Fire Safety offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire
Safety) Order 2005.  
John O’Rourke, who runs Mansfield Fire Protection Services, Mansfield, was
also jailed for 8 months and was ordered to pay £5,862.38 after he pleaded
guilty to two breaches of Fire Safety requirements in relation to the inadequacy
of Fire Risk Assessments he provided for Mr Liu’s hotels. 
The Judge said that the time had come to send out a message to those who
conduct Fire Risk Assessments and to hoteliers who are prepared to put profit
before safety.  
Fire Protection Officers from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service had
visited both premises and found that the fire precautions which should have been provided to protect residents and employees in the event of a fire were
inadequate. This presented a serious risk to the lives to Mr Liu’s customers and
staff, so they issued prohibition notices preventing any further use of both
premises as hotels until suitable improvements had been made.
Mr Liu was prosecuted because he was the responsible person for both
premises, and failed to make sure they were safe for customers staying there. Mr O’Rourke was prosecuted because he carried out Fire Risk Assessments at both hotels, but those assessments were wholly inadequate.
Today Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding all owners and
occupiers of buildings of their legal responsibility to protect their customers
and staff against the risk of fire and warning them that, where necessary,
action will be taken against anyone found to be in breach of Fire Safety
regulations.
Ian Taylor, Fire Protection Group Manager at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue  Service, said: “It is a legal requirement for places of work to have a Fire Risk  Assessment. Guidance on Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Safety measures
appropriate for different types of premises are available on the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service  website and also on that of the Department for Communities and  Local Government. The guides are to assist employers to undertake a Fire Risk  Assessment. 
“If employers are unsure about their own ability to undertake a Fire Risk
Assessment within their premises they should seek advice from a competent
person. Further Fire Safety advice and guidance upon all types of premises is
available at http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw/
Help regarding Fire Safety in non-domestic premises is available from
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Fire Safety advice line on 0115 957 5231  or email fireprotection@notts-fire.gov.uk
.