Care Home Fined for Putting Vulnerable Residents at Risk
Stapley Care Home based in Liverpool have been fined and ordered to pay for a range of fire safety offences.
Several breaches in Fire Safety had put both staff and residents at risk of serious injury or death.
After several Inspections Liverpool Magistrates Court found the Care home guilty of five breaches of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Mr Brian Massie, senior fire protection officer for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) commented on the Courts ruling.
“This care home has approximately 70 residents, some suffering dementia and needing significant support”.
He added ” from 2011 onwards, several inspections of the premises have been conducted and it is clear Stapely Care Home were aware of their duties under the fire safety order.”
The 2018 inspection found the care home had failed to maintain the Fire Alarm system and to a satisfactory standard.
Combustible materials had not been removed and fire doors inadequate, missing the appropriate Fire Safety strips and seals.
It was suggested that a fire could have spread very quickly within the property due to insufficient means of raising an alarm. This allowing the rapid spread of smoke and fire putting vunerable staff and Residence in significant danger.
Those in charge were also accused of failing to ensure the premises were subject to a suitable Fire Alarm system and maintenance.
Despite District Judge Shaw acknowledging the severity of the offences and ‘risk of harm including death’, as the care home is run by a charitable organisations a very large fine would have a detrimental impact on service users, therfore the fine was set at £6,000.
Following on from this case, Merseyside Fire And Rescue (MFRS) will be conducting a new fire safety campaign targeting all care homes across Merseyside.
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