Care Home Owners Served with £120,000 Fine for Fire Safety Negligence
On 8th August, The Caring Times reported that two care home owners in Bexhill-on-Sea were fined over £120,000 for serious breaches of fire safety regulations. Thuraisamy Ravichandran and Radha Ravichandran, directors of Care Pro, pleaded guilty to 12 offences at Brighton Magistrates Court.
This covered failures in risk assessment, fire precautions, firefighting capabilities, fire detection, and maintenance. This significant ruling serves as a stark reminder of the importance of stringent fire safety measures in care homes and premises in other sectors.
The East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) announced the fines imposed on the directors of Care Pro – Thuraisamy Ravichandran and Radha Ravichandran. This followed their guilty plea to 12 offences at Brighton Magistrates Court. The charges included key failures in areas such as risk assessment, general fire precautions, firefighting capabilities, fire detection as well as maintenance too.
The court’s decision highlighted an array of concerning deficiencies, such as defective fire doors and the absence of adequate fire detection systems and alarms. The judge emphasised the severe risk these failures posed to vulnerable residents, emphasising the importance of strict adherence to fire safety laws.
The penalties imposed were substantial: £27,500 per offence for four of the most severe breaches, resulting in a total fine of £110,000. In addition to this, a £2,000 victim surcharge and £12,455 in costs were awarded, bringing the total financial penalty to £124,455.
Area Manager George O’Reilly, head of fire safety for ESFRS, expressed his gratitude to the court and acknowledged the hard work of his legal team and staff in securing this outcome. He stated, “ESFRS is legally required to enforce the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and we take this responsibility seriously. We will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone responsible for placing people at risk of death or injury from fire due to their failures to meet the requirements of this legislation.”
Group Protection Legislation and Enforcement Manager Craig Williams also commented on the severity of the case, noting that it was among the most serious the fire service had ever prosecuted. “The fine handed down by the court today reflects the serious nature of the offences,” Williams said. “Owners and those responsible for any premises where the Fire Service find fire safety contraventions are reminded of the potential consequences, including unlimited fines and potential custodial sentences.”
This case proves the importance of ensuring that your care home or business never disregards the fire safety regulations. The consequences of neglecting these responsibilities can be permanent and life-ruining. For more details on this case, you can find the full article on The Caring Times here. To find out more about fire safety regulations and compliance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the fire safety professionals at Armour Security to help ensure that your premises meets all necessary safety standards.