New Guidelines for Firefighters

Following calls for a change in the law to enable fire-fighters to respond effectively to dangerous situations, a new Health and Safety Executive policy statement says that while the fire service still has a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect their workers' health and safety, fire-fighters will not consequently be prevented from doing their job of protecting the public.

The new guidelines follow the findings of a Fatal Accident Inquiry in March where Alison Hume died following a fall of 40 feet down a disused mineshaft near Glasgow. Fire-fighters had been unable to rescue Alison Hume due to a Health and Safety memo which stated that their equipment was for saving themselves, not members of the public. Mrs Hume was eventually rescued by mountain rescue experts but died of a heart attack just before being brought to the surface.