Blog
Hotel fire risks: Duties and the law
Hannah Eales
Hannah heads up the firm’s fire safety law team. She is a regulatory, health & safety and criminal law specialist and an experienced advocate. Hannah has a particular expertise in fire safety law, acting for corporates, individuals, directors, landlords, owners, hoteliers, education settings, public bodies, UNESCO world heritage sites, housing providers, managers and fire safety professionals in respect of compliance with fire safety legislation and regulation. Hannah represents those facing prosecution through the criminal courts for breaches of the Fire Safety Order and has also advised and prosecuted on behalf of fire and rescue authorities nationally. Since 2018 Hannah has also acted in relation to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Fire Safety
Hannah is uniquely placed to advise on compliance with fire safety legislation and to provide advice and representation for those facing enforcement action. Hannah has a proven track record in litigation, advocacy and regulation and experience representing both those facing enforcement action in respect of fire safety matters and fire and rescue authorities.
Hannah is experienced in advising on compliance with the existing fire safety regime and the role of the Responsible Person, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as well as advising on the new duties imposed under the Fire Safety Act 2021, Fire Safety Regulations 2022 and the Building Safety Act 2022.
Hannah’s expertise in this field has led to her regularly speaking and writing on the subject, including speaking at FIREX, the University Health and Safety Association and the Institution of Occupational Safety.
Regulatory
Hannah has a broader regulatory practice, acting both for regulatory bodies and representing those who appear before them. She regularly advises on all aspects of regulatory law.
In the area of professional discipline Hannah has acted for some of the leading regulatory bodies in high profile and complex cases. These regulators include the Health and Care Professions Council, the Teaching Regulation Agency, the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council, the Education Workforce Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Architects Registration Board, CILEx Regulation and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Hannah also sits as a Legal Assessor to the Professional Conduct and Competence Panel of the British Acupuncture Council and has been appointed a Legally Qualified Chair in respect of police misconduct hearings.
Hannah spent 8 years at the Criminal and Regulatory Bar prior to joining Kingsley Napley in 2013. Having acted for both the prosecution and defence throughout her career, as well as sitting as a Legal Adviser to the Magistrates’ Courts prior to joining the Bar, Hannah fully understands the effect that proceedings may have on the individual, corporate or the prosecuting body. She is known for being a thoughtful and fair advocate and litigator, whilst always seeking the best outcome for the client.
what client and legal directories say
Hannah has a wealth of knowledge."
Chambers and Partners, 2025
recent work
- Hannah recently acted for a fire risk assessor under investigation by the Fire and Rescue Service for breaches under Article 9 of the Fire Safety Order in respect of the suitability and sufficiency of a fire risk assessment. Further to representations being made to the FRS, no further action was taken against the individual.
- Hannah has advised a UNESCO World Heritage Site on their obligations under the Fire Safety Order, providing detailed advice on the duties of the Responsible Person in various different scenarios.
- Since 2018 Hannah has acted for a number of former employees of the London Fire Brigade in relation to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, including the former Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner.
- Hannah has appeared before the Court of Appeal in relation to the important issue of custodial sentences being passed in cases under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. She acted for the respondent Fire and Rescue Service.
- Hannah is regularly instructed to present cases on behalf of regulatory bodies in relation to serious, complex and high profile hearings. Historically, she acted for the Nursing and Midwifery Council in relation to two senior nurses at the Mid-Staffordshire Trust following the Francis Inquiry. The nurses were the first to be struck off following the inquiry.
Publications
- Fire safety: A look back at 2024 and forward to what 2025 may have in store (Safety & Health Practitioner, December 2024)
- Lithium-ion batteries – the fastest growing fire risk? (Safety & Health Practitioner, November 2024)
- Overlook compliance with fire safety 'at your peril' (Safety & Health Practitioner, October 2024)
- Lithium-ion batteries and the risks they pose to construction sites (Safety & Health Practitioner, July 2024)
- What are the fire safety considerations for a historic site? (Safety & Health Practitioner, June 2024)
- Common Errors in Fire Safety (Safety & Health Practitioner, April 2024)
- Assessing the Risk- Investigating Fire Risk Assessors (Safety & Health Practitioner, March 2024)
- Fire Safety Enforcement Notices : What you need to know - (IFSEC Insider (February 2024)
- Defective Cladding: A Legal Perspective - IFSEC Insider (January 2024)
- Weighing up the Law - Risk Management (August 2023)
- More fire safety responsibilities from 1 October 2023 – understanding Section 156 - (September 2023)
- Fire safety in hotels: 10 things every hotel professional needs to know - Boutique Hotelier (May 2023)
- Impact of the Leaseholder Provisions in the Building Safety Act 2022 - Fire & Risk Management (April 2023, p.51)
- Fire Safety Regulations 2022. What you need to know - The Expert Witness (February 2023)
Professional societies and Memberships
- Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)
- Fire Protection Association
- Health and Safety Lawyers Association
