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Mersey  
#1 Posted : 10 September 2019 18:39:44(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Mersey

I was asked to review and comment on a FRA for a medium sized (non comah) manufacturing site which has flamables stored across the site, the guy who conducted the FRA I checked out and he is a reputable well qualified individual. The resultant risk rating is high and its obvious that the site needs to invest and implement fire safety managment system.

In order to drive this message home to the board and senior managers I want to find case studies ideally around failing to act on FRA actions resulting in companies or individauls being prosecuted / fined / shut down / even jailed.

Thanks 

Mersey  
#2 Posted : 10 September 2019 19:18:52(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Mersey

I'm also wondering who would end up in court? The plant manager is new to the business so would they go after the board of directors?

Acorns  
#3 Posted : 11 September 2019 07:13:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Acorns

I can understand what you are asking and probably trawling the HSE news pages or similar outlets on court results. However, that may be a scare and threat route. Perhaps an alternative is to look at the consequences route - for those who have had a fire and remained out of business, closed down, high disruption etc. That may be a credible way to show the impact of a fire. An example of good preparedness was a recent fire near Stowmarket ( as I recall) where they managed to minimise the fire spread and managed to recover form a quite significant fire with relatively small impact on business. Directors and the accountants do care about safety but also, and allegedly, more so about monetary profit and loss
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A Kurdziel on 12/09/2019(UTC)
stevedm  
#4 Posted : 11 September 2019 08:01:44(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

Instead of doing that you need to look at the risk...an ALARP statement will provide you with the calculation whether the improvements are proportionate or disproportionate...i.e. if implemented will they reduce the overall risk on the site/ process...basically a CBA but using HSE methods SPC/Permissioning/12..

Further notes here...

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/theory/alarpcheck.htm

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A Kurdziel on 12/09/2019(UTC)
A Kurdziel  
#5 Posted : 11 September 2019 09:13:03(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Breaches under the RRFSO are not recorded by the HSE but by the Home Office and they are mixed in with all sorts of other stuff about the fire service (number of call outs, personal injured attending fires, diversity data etc). See https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/748819/fire-statistics-data-tables-fire1204-oct18.xlsx

 

I do get worried when people try to use fear of prosecution (or being sued) as the main driver for anything related to Health and Safety. Surely we should be able to sell it on the grounds that it is the morally correct thing to do.

 

CptBeaky  
#6 Posted : 11 September 2019 09:55:27(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
CptBeaky

Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel Go to Quoted Post

Surely we should be able to sell it on the grounds that it is the morally correct thing to do.

 

You are correct, we should be able to. However.....

Buddie  
#7 Posted : 11 September 2019 10:14:12(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Buddie

Try Safetyaide.com/news/2018/2/8/top10 Fines for non compliance of RRFSO
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Mersey on 12/09/2019(UTC)
JohnW  
#8 Posted : 11 September 2019 17:25:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
JohnW

Another approach that I have used is to invite their insurance company to a meeting, to review the FRA and to accompany you on a walkabout to observe the problems e.g. storage, work methods, equipment etc I have succeeded in getting insurance companies to list actions necessary, otherwise they won’t insure. John
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Mersey on 12/09/2019(UTC)
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