4 pad locks on a fire escape door??? And the staff didn't do anything about it. If I worked there I would have informed the manager to take them off and the next day I'd come in with a pair of bolt cutters and do it myself.
Talking about this I need to get a fire extinguisher for my home. Last month a work mates house went up from a chip pan fire. Now his family are in temp accommodation for Xmas. His kids are not happy. Could have been worse, they could have been in the house at the time.
Top five fails on Fire Risk Assessments we carry out:
At Five: Escape routes obstructed, barred, locked.
At Four: Lighting insufficient for escape routes (often general working too).
At Three: No fire fighting defence/fire warning system
At Two: No safety signage
At One: Lack of required maintenance on expensive systems already fitted!
Folks don't learn!
Good thoughts for fire safety in EVERY home - working, interlinked detectors on ground and first floor landings.
Portable fire extinguisher in kitchen - FOAM is probably best, but NOT ON ELECTRICAL FIRES.
Fire blanket in kitchen if you cook at all in Woks, frying pans, open pots.
Total cost of fire defence (if professionally fitted) - around ÂŁ300 plus VAT tops.
Is life cheaper than that? I don't think so.
I also think that shops, offices, and any publicly accessible building should be absolutely required to display a certificate of Fire Safety together with insurances in their entrance lobbies - NAMING responsible person(s), extent of fire protection, and validity dates.
Well, my thoughts go out to your mate, and to all who've suffered fire at home.