RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

November 21, 2002
WEEKEND PROBLEMS IF FIRE STRIKE GOES AHEAD

Businesses and residents could face extra problems this weekend if the firefighters strike goes ahead, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warned today.

The second strike will cover a weekend for the first time. Call-outs to house fires often peak when people are cooking. Many families will cook more meals at home during the weekend than when they are at work or children are at school.

Sarah Colles, RoSPA Home Safety Adviser, said: “We want to remind people not to leave cooking unattended and to never fill chip pans more than one-third full.”

Companies often carry out non-routine tasks at weekends that have been known to cause accidents in the past.

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA Occupational Safety Adviser, said: “Businesses and organisations need to check their risk assessments to be certain their emergency procedures are still satisfactory, bearing in mind that it might take help longer to arrive.

“They must give particular consideration to jobs which might involve complex rescue procedures if things go wrong, such as when people are working in confined spaces. Some organisations might need to consider delaying tasks until the firemen are working normally.”

Full details of RoSPA advice to businesses during the dispute can be found at www.rospa.com/occupationalsafety/info/firesafetyatwork.pdf

Other RoSPA tips to avoid fires in the home include: putting all matches and lighters out of the reach of children; guarding fires and heaters; ensuring cigarettes are properly extinguished; not smoking in bed; keeping bonfires well away from fences and hedges; making sure candles are stable and not leaving them unattended; checking around the house for fire hazards before going to bed; checking smoke alarms and testing them regularly; and planning a safe route out of the house in the event of fire.

In 2000, 447 people in the UK died in fires in their homes and 14,400 were injured. Injuries from fires can be some of the most serious suffered at home.