Virtual business safety advice

It is fire-safety business as usual as Cleveland Fire Brigade goes virtual to give vital advice and support during lockdown.

Businesses, care homes and other organizations can get what they need to ensure they comply with all the latest regulations via logging-on to a weekly session where fire-safety experts are on hand and can take a virtual tour of your premises and offer advice.

Lindisfarne Care Home in Hartlepool was the latest organization to get advice when it gave fire-safety officers an online tour of the building.

Lee Haggath, Fire Safety Regulator, said: ‘It’s a simple and effective way for us to continue to provide support while in-person visits are limited. Lindisfarne Care Home kindly opened their doors via a virtual tour on platforms such as TEAMS or ZOOM. This allowed us to see all the way round the building so we could check everything was in order and we could point out any minor issues to be immediately rectified. I would certainly encourage other businesses to do the same.’

Care Home Manager Beryl Anderson said: ‘This was a really simple process and allowed us to ensure our staff and residents are safe and make any necessary changes quickly and effectively. I would recommend this service to any business.’

Steve Johnson, Area Manager, Prevention, Protection and Engagement said, ‘In these difficult times we are committed to supporting businesses and other organizations to keep them in line with fire-safety regulations. While we cannot visit premises in person these virtual drop-in sessions and fire risk assessment tours allow us to quickly respond, offer help and support and pinpoint any areas of risk. It ensures everyone is safe. Our number one priority is keeping our communities safe.’

Figures show that 86% of businesses that have a fire simply never recover and literally go out of business. So getting fire safety advice is vital. Bookable virtual advice slots are available every Friday (9am to 12noon).To book email: fireengineeringhelpdesk@clevelandfire.gov.uk

All business owners have a legal responsibility to ensure people on the premises are safe. This means secure escape routes, unblocked exits, identifying hazards and training staff what to do in the event of an emergency.

It is a legal requirement to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment to ensure your premises are safe. Failure to comply with this and carry out any necessary improvements to reduce the risk of fire and keep people safe could result in Cleveland Fire Brigade closing the business.

Click here for fire-safety advice. For more information about virtual drop-ins click here.

For more information, go to www.clevelandfire.gov.uk