Employers advised to comply with fire guidance
Commercial insurance
14th April 2010
Bosses in many UK companies are failing to follow guidelines relating to fire safety and as a result, are placing millions of workers at risk.
This is the assertion of a new report, which notes many workplaces fail to hold a full drill once a year, in line with recommendations, while six per cent of employers would stop to pick up a cup of tea before evacuating when an alarm sounds.
According to the study by RSA, preparedness for fire incidents needs to be improved, with one in 20 respondents noting their premises do not have any marked fire exits.
David Geer, the firm's global UK business director, called for an end to fire safety apathy and to ensure swift evacuations in the event of a conflagration, adding: "Businesses that do not take fire safety seriously are risking their employees' lives and their livelihoods."
Firms seeking insurance for business are advised that since October 2006, they must comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which related to all English and Welsh non-domestic premises.
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