Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2022)

234.   Alternations after certification for fire safety

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    (1)   Where, after the grant of a certificate, it is proposed to make any extension or structural alteration of the premises or to increase the number of persons employed in the industrial establishment, or to store or use explosive or highly flammable material in the industrial establishment or to increase the extent of such storage or use, the employer or person in control shall give notice in writing of the proposal to the Chief Fire Officer and to the Department of Labour.

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    (2)   Where the Chief Fire Officer on receipt of the notice referred to in subsection (1) is of the opinion that the means of escape will be adversely affected by the proposed changes, or that such means have by reasons of changed conditions become insufficient, he or she may, by notice in writing, require the employer or person in control to comply with such directives, within such period of time, as it may specify.

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    (3)   The Chief Fire Officer may, by notice in writing, prohibit or restrict the use of an industrial establishment or require an employer or person in control to make, within the period specified in the notice, alterations for the purposes of providing a safe means of escape in case of fire if it appears to the Chief Fire Officer that dangerous conditions with regard to escape in case of fire exist in the industrial establishment.

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    (4)   An employer or person in control shall, within the period specified in the notice issued by the Chief Fire Officer under this section, carry out the alteration required by the notice, and on completion, shall notify the Chief Fire Officer in writing.

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    (5)   Where an employer or person in control fails to notify the Chief Fire Officer in respect of the matters referred to in subsection (1), or where he or she fails to comply with such directives as the Chief Fire Officer may give under subsection (2) or (3), he or she commits an offence and is liable for a first offence on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 or on summary conviction for a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding $500 for each day on which the offence continues after conviction for the prior offence.

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    (6)   Where the Chief Fire Officer, issues a notice under subsection (3), he or she shall inform the Department of Labour.

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    (7)   The Chief Fire Officer may, for the purposes of exercising his or her powers under subsection (6), enter an industrial establishment at any time, on the condition that the officer produces documentary evidence of his or her authority if required to do so.

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    (8)   A person who wilfully obstructs the Chief Fire Officer in the exercise of his or her duty under this Part commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.

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    (9)   For purposes of this section Chief Fire Officer includes a fire officer authorized in writing by the Chief Fire Officer.