Archive for July 22nd, 2010
CLG Department’s minister served legal notice for violating fire norms
The Department of Communities and Local Government had to slap its own Mister with a legal notice after he failed to abide by fore safety regulations while renovating the headquarters’ building.
John Denham was slapped with a Crown Enforcement Notice in February 2010 after the department sent fire staff to evaluate fire risks at the building that was being renovated by the Minister as past of a £2.4 million project to redevelop the atrium.
In November 2009, the fire staff visited the building and found that the place which houses 2,000 employees had no fir marshal to look after fire safety. The staff also found that the remodelling of the atrium was risky as it would intensify the flames during a fire and could help spread it to the whole building. Also, the new atrium would also disturb the evacuation procedure in case of an emergency.
The notice served to the Minister also said that the smoke vents in the building had not been taken care of and the extraction ducts in the kitchen of the restaurant on the ground floor had not been serviced in a long time. The building had no fire safety system in place and was at serious risk of a fire hazard.
The attitude of the department was deceitful and irresponsible according to Bob Neill, Minister for the Fire Services. He said that it was shocking how the rules were being flouted by the same people who were supposed to enforce them. Neill also said that after coming to know about the issuing of the Crown Enforcement Notice, he had taken it upon himself to straighten out the mess and make sure that the department clean up its act to get back to maintaining fire safety standards in the country.
For help in managing health and safety hazards and risks, Workplace Law can assist in establishing good practices by addressing problems and rectifying deficiencies. Organisations can achieve compliance with Occupational Health and Safety Accreditation Standard (OHSAS 18001) by demonstrating legal and regulatory compliance with improved policies and performance to achieve a successful safety management system.