Concerns raised over fall in number of fire enforcement and audit officers

Concerns have been raised over a fall in the number of fire enforcement and audit officers in Scotland.

Figures unearthed by the Liberal Democrats show the total number of enforcement officers and audit officers has fallen from 121 in 2014/15 to 81 in 2017/18.

The officers inspect safety law in the workplace by evaluating activities and facilities and ensuring fire safety regulations are complied with.

The Lib Dems blamed government centralisation for the decline and said it will shock the public in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The party's justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “These new figures show that the number of fire safety enforcement and audit officers has fallen by a third since 2014.

“This news will come as a real shock to the public in Scotland, who know what a valuable role these staff perform in helping save lives.

“These officers are responsible for the preventative work that not only ensures people are safe at work but reduces the risk of incidents occurring.

“The loss of these officers risks piling more pressure on other parts of the fire service.

“The Grenfell Tower disaster showed how important it is to have fire regulations that are robust and enforced.

“In the wake of this dreadful tragedy, the public will be worried to learn that the number of fire safety inspectors has decreased so dramatically.

“What's more, this news comes hot on the heels of a report showing that over 1,000 firefighters have been lost on the SNP's watch.

“Following their decision to centralise fire and rescue services, SNP ministers must explain to anxious members of the public why these jobs have been cut and how this helps enhance the safety of homes and workplaces across Scotland.”

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokeswoman said: “The public can rest assured that the SFRS works closely with local authorities and housing associations to ensure the safety of occupants in all buildings.

“The SFRS carries out a routine programme of operational intelligence and reassurance visits.

“These visits allow operational personnel to familiarise themselves with the layout of the premises, access points and facilities provided to assist firefighters.

“During these visits, firefighters also identify and report any defects associated with equipment provided, to ensure firefighter safety and support firefighting operations.

“This includes common stair fire doors, dry risers, firefighting lifts, any smoke control measures, access issues or storage of combustible materials within the common stairway - and should the service identify any defects then these are reported to the relevant local authority or housing association.

“Following the tragic incident in Grenfell Tower, the SFRS has commenced an additional and concentrated programme of operational intelligence and reassurance Visits.

“This means that, whilst a premise may have already been recently visited through our routine programme, we will ensure that each and every block receives a further visit.

“This is to provide the public with additional reassurance and allow our firefighters to proactively engage with occupiers, provide advice and deliver home fire safety visits.

“The public need not be alarmed if they see the fire service visiting high rises premises on a more frequent basis.

“Through effective prevention and protection and front line response, the number of dwelling fire deaths in Scotland continue to reduce, from 76 in 2004-05 to 39 in 2015-16.

“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service continues to respond to every emergency call - mobilising with the right resource in the right place at the right time.

“The service does not recognise claims that more than 1000 firefighters have been lost.

“Earlier this year, we marked the graduation of 101 new firefighters, the largest ever single intake, and we will recruit again in the near future.

“However this is a very challenging financial environment and since its creation the SFRS has delivered over £54m of savings while our resource budget has had a real terms cut of £2.6 million this year alone.

“It is therefore imperative that we now look at new and efficient ways to deliver our service while maintaining the safety of our firefighters and our communities.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Firefighters play a vital role in protecting our communities and the SFRS continues to deliver the high standard of services required to keep Scotland safe.

“The service's vital prevention and protection work has contributed to the general decrease in the total number of fires in Scotland over the last 10 years.

“We are investing in Scotland's world-class fire and rescue service and have increased the overall operational budget this year by £21.7 million to support investment in equipment and resources.

“Staffing is an operational matter for the board and the chief officer.