Questionable Fire Safety In Our Hotels?
The recent Penhallow Hotel fire in Newquay has highlighted the importance of fire safety in UK hotels and guest houses. Many owners are still unaware of the new legislation and that it is now their responsibility to ensure the premises are safe for staff and residents.
The BBC's Inside Out recently produced a programme demonstrating some hotels current naivety by ignoring basic fire safety requirements. An undercover team visited 14 hotels across South West England with Alan Cox, an independent fire safety consultant who found 13 of the 14 to have unsatisfactory fire safety provisions.
Within these 'unsatisfactory' hotels were wedged open fire doors, obstructed fire exits and useless means of escape. The Livermead Cliff Hotel in Torquay claimed the worst safety title with a corroded fire escape and unsealed and open windows leading from the kitchen and bedrooms to the only other escape route stairwell.
Escape routes travelled through locked guest bedrooms, fire doors had either been left open or had no seals and a fire exit sign pointed in the wrong direction.
A programme of improvements has since been agreed with the hotel owner and the fire service following an inspection.
'The Best Western Livermead Cliff Hotel considers the safety of its guests to be of paramount importance. The issues of fire protection was and is being considered as part of a much larger ongoing scheme of building development and refurbishment.'
Following the Regulatory Reform Order the fire service carries out inspections on hotels to ensure they comply with the new fire safety requirements. A fire certificate is no longer valid and it is the owner or manager who is responsible if they fail to conform to the new requirements.
In emergency situations such as a fire it is in these early moments that it is vital to have the correct equipment to avoid confusion and placing people in danger. Escape routes must be clearly identified and unobstructed to enable all persons within the premises to evacuate safety and effectively.
Guidance and information is readily available from a number of sources including Means of Escape, Hotels are able to conform to the new law via a number of methods enabling the responsible person to select an option to suit them.
£9 MILLION WORTH OF FIRE LOSS IN HOTELS IN ONE YEAR
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