HSE fines restaurant owner over fire safety
failings
Health & Safety update 28/06/2011
The owner of a Gloucester-based restaurant has been fined by the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to follow fire safety
regulations.
A fire occurred in Connoisseur Tandoori Restaurant in late 2009,
at which point the fire service discovered a number of fire safety
failings.
An investigation revealed that certain escape routes and
partitions were not fire-resistant and that no fire safety training
had been given to employees.
Employees were also sleeping in unauthorised accommodation which
had not been fitted with fire alarms or smoke detectors. A fire
risk assessment had also failed to be completed.
The owner of the restaurant, Mr Choudhury, pleaded guilty to ten
charges of failing to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire
Safety) Order 2005. He was fined £2,900 plus costs of £1,500 along
with a £15 victim surcharge.
Senior Fire Safety Enforcement Officer at Gloucestershire Fire
and Rescue Service, Richard Smith, said, “If a fire risk assessment
had been carried out, it would have identified the measures
required to make the premises safe such as a fire alarm, emergency
lighting, fire doors and staff training.”