Businesses are Endangering Their Employees and Patrons By Failing Fire Safety Standards
Everyday, Americans frequent numerous public buildings such as grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and offices. These common daily activities are rarely associated with danger. But unexpected disasters like fires or explosions can and do occur, often causing many unnecessary casualties. This was tragically demonstrated on Feb. 20, 2003, when a pyrotechnics fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, RI claimed the lives of 100 people, including 7 employees and 93 patrons. Many survivors were left suffering serious burn injuries and severe emotional trauma.
A nation was left to question how a tragedy of such magnitude could have occurred. For many, it was an abrupt wake-up call. Too many of us take for granted that the owners and managers of public buildings have effective emergency procedures in place.
Organizations such as the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recommends advocating for your own safety when entering all public buildings. This can be as simple as noting the location of fire exits and planning an escape route. HHS recommends becoming familiar with the building and viewing posted evacuation plans.
But what happens when an escape route is blocked, or no evacuation plans are provided? Even the most safety vigilant individuals are jeopardized when building operators fail to comply with established fire and emergency safety standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) is one body that monitors and maintains building safety standards. Although their focus is on worker safety, it also protects patrons and visitors to these buildings.
In the case of the West Warwick nightclub fire, OSHA cited The Station owner and operator with a startling number of fire safety violations related to building exits. For starters, an exit door installed within’ the exit route did not swing in the direction of travel. Another exit door was not clearly marked and indistinguishable from the walls. And yet another exit door was surrounded with highly flammable material. These violations alone contributed to panic, trampling, elevated death tolls and unnecessary burn victims.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious burns or even death due to a fire or explosion in a public building, ensure that your rights are being protected. Contact attorneys David I. Fuchs at 800-570-2858 for a free consultation. If all fire safety, evacuation and emergency standards were not met, you could be entitled to compensation for on-going physical and emotional damages, lost wages, and your medical bills.