SUNDAY, JULY 13, 1975
IT GOES ON +THERE IS QUITE NATURALLY OPPOSITION, ON FINANCIAL GROUNDS MAINLY, TO THE WORK OF THE BUREAU FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, FACTORY OWNERS WHO OBSTRUCT STAIRWAYS AND EXITS WITH THEIR RAW MATERIALS AND FINISHED PRODUCTS WITH SELFISH UNCONCERN FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT VERY WELL LOSE THEIR LIVES THROUGH BEING TRAPPED IN THE EVENT OF FIRE. THE USUAL METHOD OF DEALING WITH SUCH CASES, INITIALLY, IS TO ISSUE A WARNING, BY FURTHER ACTION, INCLUDING PROSECUTION, IS TAKEN AGAINST PERSISTENT OFFENDERS.+
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE FIRE HAZARDS AND A 24-HOUR SERVICE WAS MAINTAINED TO FACILITATE, SUCH REPORTS, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, LEGISLATION WAS IN HAND TO INCREASE PENALTIES SUBSTANTIALLY IN RESPECT OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES. THESE WERE RECENTLY APPROVED AND PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF FIRE LOSSES THE REPORT SAYS, ALTHOUGH THOSE FOR 1974/75 WERE HALF THE AMOUNT OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR. INDUSTRIAL LOSSES WERE $27.39 MILLION COMPARED WITH $55.13 MILLION FOR 1973/74. IT IS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE 1974/75 LOSSES STILL REPRESENTED 71 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT ONLY SIX PER CENT OF FIRES WERE INDUSTRIAL.
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THE REPORT NOTES THAT, OVER THE YEARS, LEGISLATION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED AND IS STILL BEING INTRODUCED WHICH IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE FIRE PROTECTION FEATURES IN INDUSTRIAL AND OTHER BUILDINGS.
IT ADDS # +A FACTORY OWNER MAY BAULK AT THE EXPENSE OF INSTALLING EQUIPMENT SUCH AS SPRINKLERS, BUT, SURELY, LONG TERM PROTECTION FOR HIS FACTORY AND PEACE OF MIND PROVIDED MUST BE A CONSIDERATION.+
THE ATTITUDES OF SOME INDUSTRIALISTS TO FIRE PROTECTION WAS HARD TO FATHOM +GIVEN STATISTICS WHICH SO CLEARLY POINT TO THEIR VULNERABILITY TO HEAVY LOSSES SHOULD THEIR FACTORY CATCH FIRE,+ IT SAYS.
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