Prosecution a high price to pay

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) replaced more than 70 pieces of fire safety legislation and came into force in October 2006. However, this attempt to simplify legislation has not had a significant impact on compliance, with courts ordering individuals and companies to pay more than £1m fines and costs last year in London for breaches of the FSO.

Those prosecuted ranged from multinational companies to oneperson businesses. High-profile cases included Shell International being fined £300,000, and high street retailer New Look paying more than £400,000 after a serious fire at its Oxford Street store in 2007. The cost of fire damage also stands at a record level, with insurers paying out over £1.3 billion in 2008 .

"Apart from the human risks associated with fires, organisations often experience prolonged disruption to daily activity and incur significant costs," says Des Hancox of the CIEH. "Spending on fire safety should be seen as an investment rather than a cost. To aid businesses we have launched a suite of nationally recognised and accredited fire safety qualifications, from basic to advanced to help further reduce business risk and losses."