Fireworks blamed as 60 killed at nightclub

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Title – Fireworks blamed as 60 killed at nightclubSource – The Times
Date – 1st & 3rd December 2008

Many might argue what place a fire in a nightclub in Bangkok has in this section of our blog, but I argue it has a very important role.

We are always hearing cries of ‘nanny state’ here in the UK, people complain of regulation, regulation and more regulation. In the area of

Fire Safety there are very good reasons why the authorities go on about it; the consequences of getting it wrong can be devastating.

We are fortunate not to have had a fire disaster here in the UK of this magnitude for some years now, but complacency is our most serious threat. With the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the emphasis was placed on the business to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment and not on the fire service. Every business must have a Fire Risk Assessment in place and it must be effective and meet all the statutory requirements. It must also be regularly reviewed and any actions highlighted must be taken.

All employees should receive Fire Safety Training and understand prevention and evacuation measures in place.

What we can learn from the Bangkok disaster is that those things we take for granted are always the ones which cause high death tolls in these tragedies. It is not just that fireworks and sparklers were allowed in the club, they may have started the fire; but what leads to high death tolls tends to be in the design and management of the premises. Even at this early stage there seems only to have been one exit, bars on the windows, no emergency lighting, no co-ordinated evacuation procedure, doors blocked or welded shut, overcrowding, no fire proofing of building materials, no separation or suitable fire fighting equipment and no regulation.

Anyone of these factors could lead to disaster, additional injury or casualties; combined they are a recipe for disaster. Sadly that is exactly what happened.

We should really look at these events and be grateful for the strict regulation we have in the UK, but having said that, go now and look round your premises and check: Is the Fire Risk Assessment up-to-date? Are the fire exits blocked or locked? Does the emergency lighting, fire alarm and fire fighting equipment work and is it serviced regularly? Is the fire signage in place? Are all employees Trained in Fire Safety and evacuation? Is the capacity of the premises strictly observed? Are fire safety procedures strictly observed?

Where any of these questions can not be answered or procedures, facilities and systems are either not in place or being observed, resolve them as a matter of urgency, call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us at Beyond The Blue. We can help you to meet your statutory requirements and more importantly meet fire safety standards that protect you, your employees and your business.

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