A Fire Risk Assessor has been fined a total of £1,600 after being charged with four counts of breaching fire safety regulations.
Mr Martin Ballard, a former employee of Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, failed to identify serious fire safety issues with his fire risk assessment at St Clements Court, Leicester. Mr Ballard retired from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service before becoming a self-employed Fire Risk Assessor.
He appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Monday 19 October and Tuesday 20 October 2020. He was fined £1600, and ordered to pay costs of £7,864.15.
Andy Clarke, Station Manager Fire Protection, said: “These failings had the potential to put the lives of residents in this premises at risk of death or serious injury.
“Fire risk assessments play a pivotal part in determining the fire safety measures and fire safety strategy for any building, and is a task that only people with suitable training and experience should undertake.”
Although Mr Ballard had served within the fire and rescue service for more than 30 years, he had no formal training in providing fire risk assessments and had very limited experience.
Andy Clarke added: “This sentence should act as a warning to all Fire Risk Assessors, that Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service will take these matters extremely seriously.
“We will not hesitate to take action where inadequate fire risk assessments put people at risk.
“Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are prepared to work with those responsible for fire safety, to help them achieve compliance with fire safety standards.”
If you require any help or guidance around fire safety, please contact Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service on 0116 210 5555.
Alternatively, visit leics-fire.gov.uk for fire safety advice.
Source - LFRS Press release.
A Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement. If you are responsible for a building, for example a employer, owner or occupier of premises that aren't a 'single private dwelling' (a private home), you need to make sure a suitably competent person completes a Fire Risk Assessment.