The Result of Poor Training

[stevew]

Below is a paragraph from my response to an email I received yesterday from both a local authority and a fire authority regarding the same assessment.  It relates to a cupboard under a stair.
The local authority officer is the lead due to the premises requiring a licence under the Housing Act.

?Using your assessment would mean disregarding, the relevant guides, the basic principle of fire and the fire triangle.  You are suggesting that only two of the three elements, fuel, heat and oxygen need to be present for a fire to ignite.  The fire triangle is  used as a basic form of fire safety training and looks at the dynamics of fire itself.  If you are aware of any revision to this approach I and probably the rest of world would like to be informed.?

Informed my client that there is nothing more I can do.

I await their response.  Should be interesting.

[AnthonyB]

What were you saying that was outside the guides?

Does the Housing Act have a determination process? I suspect not, which limits options, clients don't generally like the idea of taking things down the appeal at Court process.

[stevew]

Hi Anthony

I dared to allow a small unprotected cupboard in a protected route.  The cupboard was under the control of the owner and contained a couple if small paintings and was kept locked.
My argument was that there was no heat source in the cupboard.
When I asked the authority how they came to their decision their reply was that the LACORS guide does not allow it.
Clearly an assessment too far.

I do not know if there is a determination process under the Housing Act however my advice to my client was to enclose with FR and lock or remove storage and lock. 

[stevew]

Had to back down in the end.
Both the LA and FA decided to disagree with my assessment of the risk.
Their assessment stopped short at the fact that it was a cupboard. 
What the risk was in the cupboard was not considered.
Lets change the name of the ?guides? and make it a fixed standard and call it the Fire Precautions Act 2019.  Then we, as risk assessors can all go home.