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Saturday, December 2, 1972
HIGHER STANDARDS OF FIRE PREVENTION NEEDED IN INDUSTRY
Much of the losses caused by fire in 1971-72 could have been avoided
if management had adopted higher standards of fire prevention.
This is the view of the Labour Department's Industrial Safety
Training Officer, Mr. A.E. Carter, who said that during the year direct
fire losses exceeded $72 million and "indirect losses accounted for probably an
equal amount or even more".
He said suitably trained personnel could always make immediate
attack on an outbreak, thus preventing a major fire from developing.
For this reason, the training centre in conjunction with the
Fire Services Department recently organised a series of 40 one-day fire
prevention training courses for personnel in industry.
Mr. Carter said the purpose of the course was to give these people
a basic elementary knowledge of fire prevention and fire fighting.
Emphasis is put on industrial housekeeping, safe storage and
handling of inflammable liquid and practical demonstrations of various fire
extinguishers.
The courses are expected to finish some time this month, but
Mr. Carter said it was the intention of the Labour Department to organise
another series next year.
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