Fire protection in the office

HOW CAN WE AVOID ON-THE-SPOT FINES DURING OFFICIAL INSPECTIONS?

Fire protection – official inspection

When renting an office, we may encounter numerous pitfalls during a disaster management authority inspection, which may even result in a significant on-site fine.

A 259/2011 (December 7) Government decree defines the violations that are subject to fire safety fines. The decree states that the first-instance authority is the disaster management office, so we can count on them during a fire safety inspection. In general, the authority notifies the client in writing of the planned inspection before the inspection, but this no obligation. In the case of a complaint from a member of the public or an anonymous complaint, they have the right to visit the employer in question at any time without prior notice.

For this reason, it is extremely important that we carry out our activities in accordance with fire safety regulations.

Fire safety in rented office buildings – who is responsible?

When renting an office, many tenants believe that fire safety is the responsibility of the office building operator. However, this is not the case at all. As a first step, we usually recommend (especially in the case of lease agreements concluded years ago) that the tenant carefully review the contents of the agreement. Ideally, the agreement will specify the fire safety responsibilities and obligations of both the tenant and the landlord. If there is no reference to this in the agreement, it is advisable to amend and clarify it as soon as possible.

The decree on fire safety fines lists 50 different categories of violations, each with separately defined fines. In the event of multiple fire safety violations, the fines are added together, and the payment deadline is 30 days from the date the fine decision becomes final. However, payment of the fine does not exempt us from the obligation to remedy the violation, so it is possible that the authorities will return for a follow-up inspection and impose an even higher fine.

What could these fire safety violations be in an office?

•  the employer does not have fire safety regulationseven though it is required to do so by law;
•  the employer has fire safety regulationsbut it does not contain the content elements required by law;
• the employer has fire safety regulationsbut it was made by an unauthorized person;
•  the employer does not keep a fire extinguisher on standby or has failed to have it inspected regularly;
• new employees did not receive the preliminary training required as a condition of employment fire safety trainingt, or annual refresher training is missing; (min. 30,000 HUF/person)
• someone committed a fire safety violation that caused a fire or explosion;
• closing of doors and windows used for evacuation, keeping them closed in normal operation so that they cannot be opened in an emergency;
• exceeding the number of people that can be evacuated as determined in the evacuation calculation;
• storage on the escape route, or narrowing it in a way that makes it hard to clear, etc.

Fire safety fines

With a little attention and management commitment, we can easily ensure that we no longer have sleepless nights. fire safety inspectiondue to fear of.

The fines are not fixed amounts, but are determined on a sliding scale, depending on the severity of the violation, the number of people involved, and the floor space of the rented property. It is hard to imagine how easily one can rack up fines amounting to millions if one does not pay sufficient attention to compliance with fire safety regulations.

To ensure that your employees are safe and your work environment complies with legal requirements, contact us so that our occupational safety and fire protection services can help you avoid fines imposed by the authorities.