Shepton Mallet-based company fined for fire safety failures

The case was brought forward by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service having arisen in the wake of a report from a guest who stayed at the five-bedroom property. The individual raised several concerns in relation to fire safety at the location, which then prompted a visit by fire safety inspectors in May last year.

Inspectors from the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service found a range of issues as follows:

*no fire risk assessment had been conducted for the premises

*the fire alarm system wasn’t working and showed no fewer than nine faults

*there was an absence of regular maintenance for the fire alarm system, the emergency lighting and firefighting equipment

*several fire doors, themselves essential for preventing the spread of fire and smoke, were found to be defective

Such was the severity of the fire safety deficiencies in the guest house that the inspectors from the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service served two legal notices to prohibit any sleeping at the premises until such time that remedial work had been carried out and completed.

Sentencing process

Prestleigh Inn B&B Limited pleaded guilty to four offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005:

*Article 9: Failure to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons were exposed for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions
*Article 13: Failure to ensure that the premises were (to the appropriate extent) equipped with working fire detectors and alarms
*Article 14: Failure to ensure there was an adequate means of escape in the event of a fire owing to defective fire doors and emergency lighting
*Article 17: Failure to ensure that fire precautions were subject to a suitable system of maintenance and repair

The company was fined £16,000 for the Article 9 offence and £10,000 for the Article 13 offence. There was no separate penalty for the other two offences.

Appropriate measures

Fire safety manager Darren Bridges from the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, whose team investigated the offences, stated: “I hope this case serves as a reminder to anyone managing guest accommodation that they must take fire safety seriously. Failure to do so not only endangers occupants, but can also result in prosecution. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of carrying out a thorough fire risk assessment and having appropriate fire safety measures in place.”

Counsel Jack Barry said the company accepted that its lack of knowledge was not a defence. Since the offences came to light, the company’s director has undertaken an Institution of Occupational Safety and Health risk management course and is fully confident that the business will not appear in court again.

*Further information is available online at www.dsfire.gov.uk