DB Fire Safety was ‘invited’ to carry out a fire risk assessment of a basement in an office block. We cannot name the building (obviously) but suffice it to say that there are 5 floors above the basement – all of which are under major reconstruction. On investigation, the basement had been converted into living accommodation for a large number of contractors working on the building.
Employers must realise and understand that they have a serious duty of care to ensure the safety of all their staff – regardless of their country of origin.
This basement was a disaster waiting to happen. There were no ‘full-height’ partition walls between bedrooms; no fire doors on bedrooms; no testing of the electrical fixed wiring; accepted use of portable electrical appliances that had not been tested. The list went on and on.
Fortunately the HSE and Fire Authority are now involved. If this was a standard HMO it would be shut down immediately.