Cleveland Fire Brigade have issued an urgent warning for people knocking on your door posing as fire safety inspectors.
It follows a recent incident when two men called at a house in multiple occupation with several tenants in Middlesbrough at 8pm at night claiming they were carrying out a routine safety check.
The landlady became suspicious and checked with the Brigade who have confirmed they were not our officers – a couple of days later the home was burgled.
Joe Flounders, Head of Fire Engineering said: “This is a shocking incident, and we warn people to be vigilant and not let anyone in without properly checking their identification. All our inspectors will be in uniform, carry an ID card with a contact number on the back that people can ring if in any doubt. They will also have a warrant card for entry.
“We are committed to helping businesses reduce the risk of fire and be compliant with fire safety law. We don’t expect businesses to be experts. That is why we are here to provide all year round help and advice. Your business is our business and we are here to help keep you open and safe.”
Cleveland Fire Brigade carries out hundreds of fire safety inspections a year to make sure businesses are complying with legal requirements as well as giving advice and support.
If you own, manage or operate a business, you will need to comply with fire safety law. The main law is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or ‘the Fire Safety Order’ which applies across England and Wales.
The Fire Safety Order places the emphasis on risk reduction and fire prevention. Under the Order, people responsible for commercial buildings, such as the employer, owner, or any other person who has control of any part of the premises, are required to carry out a mandatory detailed fire risk assessment identifying the risks and hazards in the premises.
The Order applies to virtually all buildings, places and structures other than individual private dwellings and it is your responsibility to make sure your workplace reaches the required standard. Other places covered by the Order include shared areas (entrance, stairs etc.) of homes of multiple occupation and common parts of blocks of flats and maisonettes.
For more information: https://www.clevelandfire.gov.uk/fire-risk-assessment/
