Fire Safety Update

Hoof_Hearted

A bit of advice needed. A local shop backs onto a public car park with a small open area at the back which belongs to the shop. In order to avoid car parking charges, one employee parks every day on the yellow hatched area outside the outward-opening fire door. He/she parks so close that it would be impossible to open the door in a fire.

I have mentioned this to a shop employee, but nothing has changed. Whever you hear of a serious fire with loss of life, it often seems that the fire exits were blocked and people can't get out. Is there any leverage I can use to get the problem resolved. The shop manager is rarely there.

This is a bit of a vent as nothing seems to have been done.

JReacher1

You can contact the council or fire brigade. They'll send someone round.

However if you don't work there I would say its nothing really to do with you.

Hoof_Hearted

I think health and safety is to do with all of us. Perhaps people who were piled up behind locked fire exits in a nightclub fire may disagree.

Azari

JReacher1 wrote: »

You can contact the council or fire brigade. They'll send someone round.

However if you don't work there I would say its nothing really to do with you.

What he said, except for the part on blue.

Imagine how you would feel if there was a fire and someone died or was badly injured or disfigured.

You would know that you had seen a dangerous and illegal practice and have taken no action to prevent it when you could easily have done so.

I wonder how far this 'nothing to do with you' attitude stretches.

It's quite chilling, really. Particularly as two people have gone to the trouble to express gratitude for for the sentiment and yet, at the time of posting, not one person has thanked you for your very reasonable concern.


ETA: LOL - whilst I typed this post someone has removed their thanks for the 'mind your own business' opinion. A tiny bit of faith in humanity restored.

JReacher1

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

I think health and safety is to do with all of us. Perhaps people who were piled up behind locked fire exits in a nightclub fire may disagree.

Has that happened?

Thing is its a small shop so they've only got 2 exits due to over the top fire regulations that are applied to workplaces. I live in a flat on the top floor. I only have one exit from my flat and I never worry that a fire will break out in my flat blocking me from the only exit.

You've raised it with the shop. If they don't take any interest then you'll have to raise it with people in authority. It seems a bit over the top for something that hasn't got anything to do with you. It's just going to make you unwelcome in the shop!

JReacher1

Azari wrote: »

What he said, except for the part on blue.

Imagine how you would feel if there was a fire and someone died or was badly injured or disfigured.

You would know that you had seen a dangerous and illegal practice and have taken no action to prevent it when you could easily have done so.

I wonder how far this 'nothing to do with you' attitude stretches.

It's quite chilling, really. Particularly as two people have gone to the trouble to express gratitude for for the sentiment and yet, at the time of posting, not one person has thanked you for your very reasonable concern.

I sadly wouldn't care. The danger has been pointed out to them. If they choose to ignore it then it's there own fault.

sleepymans

Hoofie...you are right to be concerned and I would support your intervention on this issue. If more people made an effort to involve themselves in improving common sense safety issues there would be fewer injuries and deaths.

I think I would write to the Manager of the shop and give the local fire station a call (not 999 obviously;) )

Your local council might also be able to help though I'm not sure what department...planning or trading standards, would be responsible?

If nothing happens maybe a letter to the local newspaper....at least customers would be alerted to the (albeit small but real) risk in that building.

JamesW62

JReacher1 wrote: »

I sadly wouldn't care. The danger has been pointed out to them. If they choose to ignore it then it's there own fault.

It's worse than sad, I'm afraid. It's callous and irresponsible.

It's idiots who think they know better than the fire authorities who block and lock fire exits and make these tragedies so much worse. And know it all amateurs who pontificate about how fire regulations can be safely ignored are just as much to blame.

Azari

JReacher1 wrote: »

It seems a bit over the top for something that hasn't got anything to do with you. It's just going to make you unwelcome in the shop!

Apart from the fact that it's hard to see how possibly preventing someone being burned alive can be over the top, how the hell would the shop know that the OP had anything to do with a 'routine inspection' by the fire brigade. (They don't roll up and tell people someone has complained - they actually want the public to inform them of dangerous practices.)

JReacher1

JamesW62 wrote: »

It's worse than sad, I'm afraid. It's callous and irresponsible.

It's idiots who think they know better than the fire authorities who block and lock fire exits and make these tragedies so much worse. And know it all amateurs who pontificate about how fire regulations can be safely ignored are just as much to blame.

Funnily enough I'm actually the head fire Marshall for my company. I have to do the fire safety course every 2 years so know quite a bit about it. I don't ignore any fire regulations at work.

I am just not that bothered about anyone else's is. They've been told the danger and they choose to ignore it. It's not my job to enforce fire regulations onto other businesses.

JReacher1

Azari wrote: »

Apart from the fact that it's hard to see how possibly preventing someone being burned alive can be over the top, how the hell would the shop know that the OP had anything to do with a 'routine inspection' by the fire brigade. (They don't roll up and tell people someone has complained - they actually want the public to inform them of dangerous practices.)

She's already mentioned it to the shop. They'll probably suspect it's linked. Although it's only going to annoy the one employee who parks there.