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Rescue authorities found shortcomings in the fire safety and provision of safe egress in shops
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Uusimaa rescue departments conducted control visits at various shops between November 22 and December 1, 2021. This was the second time control was implemented in cooperation between the Uusimaa rescue departments. In total, the control visits covered 197 shops around Uusimaa. Rescue authorities focused particularly on the fire safety and provision of safe egress.
During the control visits, fire inspectors found room for improvement as regards the provision of safe egress. Approximately 50 per cent of the sites inspected received notice of some kind. The previous time, in 2019, approximately 60 per cent of the sites had room for improvement.
Rescue department representatives hope that operators in the trade sector would pay special attention to keeping the escape routes unobstructed also during busy shopping periods such as Christmas and Black Friday. Escape routes must be accessible and clearly marked at all times when the shops are open. The most common shortcoming was goods being stored in escape routes. In addition, the rescue departments served notices on, for example, the condition and accessibility of first-aid extinguishing equipment.
The control visits were deliberately scheduled to take place at the end of the year, with the hustle and bustle in the shops even more intense than normally. Through control, the rescue departments are able to address safety issues, prevent accidents and encourage businesses to take safety matters seriously. Safety is something that we all, businesses and individuals alike, can significantly improve by our actions.
Rescue departments will continue control visits with topical themes and issues in future.
Participating rescue departments:
Helsinki, Itä-Uusimaa, Keski-Uusimaa and Länsi-Uusimaa
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