What do these figures tell us? They show that the latest enforcement visits do show a drop in the last year period for non-compliant risk assessments which we could say is good. There is a bigger picture to see though when you compare both these charts.
Prosecutions for substandard or no fire risk assessments in place shot up by 34.7% in the 2019-20 period compared with the previous years.
Also, even though the overall non-compliance numbers were down, the prosecutions were the highest they have ever been. This tells us that there is a stronger appetite to prosecute for poor quality or no fire assessments against companies.
When comparing these statistics to other non-compliances within the fire safety legislation, we have also found that risk assessments have been the highest number for non-compliance out of all other areas of the fire legislation after emergency routes and exits.
One of our biggest fights is to make strides in improving the overall industry standard regarding fire risk assessments.
These are the same people who can give you ‘fast and cheap’ service, but you have to ask yourself, “What am I getting for my money?”
Imagine being one of those companies who pays for a service, only then months later to be part of the ‘latest statistics’ and what this does to the reputation of the business to stakeholders.
We must turn the tide of poor-quality fire risk assessments not only for the safety of building occupants but also for the avoidance of everything else post-incident.
When buildings are destroyed by fire, we don’t think enough about the aftermath: The absolute loss of possessions, the uncertainty, mental stress, as well as financial.
We can avoid all of this by getting it right from the start. Hire a Nationally accredited fire risk assessor by visiting online registers such as FRACS or NAFRAR when arranging for a fire risk assessment for your premises.
