
![]() |
Brian Sims
Editor |
Home> | Fire | >Enforcement | >JD Sports fined £60,000 for safety failings |
JD Sports fined £60,000 for safety failings
23 October 2017
JD SPORTS has admitted putting staff and customers at risk after an inspection found an escape route being blocked by crates at a store in Dudley.
In December 2015, officers from West Midlands Fire Service visited JD Sports and Scotts stores at Merry Hill shopping centre, Brierley Hill. Serious breaches were discovered, including an escape route blocked by crates and stock which reduced its width to just 30cm.
The company appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 19 October and admitted six breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It was fined a total of fined £60,000 ordered to pay costs of £7,463.
District Judge Michael Wheeler said he recognised that the company had immediately taken steps to address the issues, adding: “Hopefully this problem will not occur again.
"It can't be said that this is a company that sacrifices safety for profit as this company has taken this prosecution seriously."
West Midlands Fire Service fire inspection officer Mick Norton said: “It beggars belief that the company compromised the safety of their staff and Christmas shoppers in this way.
“In spite of our warning that we would be revisiting, breaches were again identified when we returned two weeks later. We do everything we can to advise businesses on fire safety, but will not hesitate to prosecute if our advice is ignored.
“Retailers must realise they can’t put profit before people’s safety by over-stocking, reducing the width of escape routes and blocking fire exit routes.”
- Fire Safety Scotland - preventing fires
- FS North: Responsible or not responsible – that is the question
- Cyber criminals face new EU sanctions
- Educating the market
- Industrial security - June 2019
- Tennent to leave Tavcom
- EY Foundation and The Security Institute join forces on employability programme
- Securitas set to acquire STANLEY Security’s electronic security businesses in five countries
- The Bribery Act: An Appraisal of the First Decade
- Fire Risk Assessors: Time to Join Forces?
- Laying down the law
- Student lettings firm fined £150,000 for fire failings
- From the editor
- Fire safety returns home to NEC Birmingham
- Blog for FSM website
- Huge fine for Lakanal House fire
- Restaurant chain served fine for fire breaches
- Laying down the law
- Hotelier in dock for fire safety breaches
- Prosecutions under the Fire Safety Order