The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has been accused of putting fire-fighters' lives at risk, following publication of an inspection report by the HSE on its health and safety management. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) called on the LFB to do more to protect its operational staff, after the HSE cited 13 areas for improvement - most of them relating to training. The inspection, which was conducted between August and December 2010, aimed to assess the LFB's health and safety management system following the investigations into a fire in 2004, in which two fire-fighters died. The inspection concentrated on training and competency in core fire-fighter skills and incident command, as well as training in the use of breathing apparatus and associated procedures. Among the 13 recommendations made by the regulator were that the LFB should: prioritise breathing-apparatus training for fire-fighters who have not worn it for 12 months; ensure training is provided for officers who are required to assess BA competence; carry out a review of BA refresher and real fire training; and ensure fire-fighter core competences are maintained.
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