WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20,
1993
THE SCHEME WILL ALSO BE COMPLETED IN JUNE NEXT YEAR.
BY THEN, MR CHUNG SAID ALL SEWAGE IN THE STANLEY, MA HANG, ΤΑΙ TAM AND RED HILL AREAS WOULD RECEIVE FULI. SECONDARY TREATMENT BEFORE DISPOSAL INTO DEEP SEA THROUGH A SUBMARINE OUTFALL.
"THIS WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SEAWATER IN THE STANLEY AREA," HE ADDED.
FIRE SAFETY IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS URGED
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LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR CHAN TAT-KING, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) REMINDED OWNERS OF NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES THAT THEY SHOULD MAINTAIN IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION AND FREE FROM OBSTRUCTION EVERY DOORWAY, STAIRWAY AND PASSAGEWAY WITHIN THE WORKPLACE WHICH AFFORDS A MEANS OF ESCAPE IN FIRES.
MR CHAN SAID THE OWNERS WOULD COMMIT AN OFFENCE UNDER REGULATION 5 OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (FIRE PRECAUTIONS IN NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES) REGULATIONS IF THEY FAILED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF FIRE ESCAPES WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE.
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"UPON CONVICTION, OWNERS CONTRAVENING THIS REGULATION ARE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $30,000 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS, HE ADDED.
MR CHAN ALSO ADVISED OWNERS OF NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES NOT ΤΟ CARRY OUT ANY UNAUTHORISED ALTERATION OR ADDITION TO THE PREMISES OF THE WORKPLACE WHICH MIGHT CREATE A SERIOUS RISK OF THE SPREAD OF FIRE OR SMOKE, OR AN OBSTRUCTION OF FREE PASSAGEWAY TO A MEANS OF FIRE ESCAPES.
HE GAVE THE ADVICE IN THE WAKE OF THE RECENT LAN KWAI TRAGEDY IN WHICH 21 PEOPLE DIED.
FONG
"TO PREVENT A DOMINO EFFECT RESULTING FROM A STAMPEDE OF WORKERS ESCAPING FROM A FIRE IN A MULTI-STOREY INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, OWNERS SHOULD TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS RELATING TO GENERAL FIRE SAFETY FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CARRY OUT REGULAR INSPECTIONS ON STAIRWAYS OF WORKPLACES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE FREE FROM OBSTRUCTION.
"GENERALLY, PEOPLE ESCAPING FROM A FIRE TEND TO USE THE WAY THEY ENTER THE WORKPLACE.
"IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO FIND MANY ESCAPEES FROM A FIRE GOT THEMSELVES TRAPPED AND ENTANGLED UP IN A STAIRWAY BECAUSE THEY ALL HEADED FOR THE SAME ROUTE THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WAS NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR EVACUATING A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING OUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE ADDED.
HE CITED A TRAGEDY OCCURRED SOME 25 YEARS AGO WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT IN A KNITTING FACTORY ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF A TENEMENT BUILDING ON SHUN NING ROAD, SHAM SHUI PO, IN WHICH MOST OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE TRAPPED IN THE FRONT STAIRWAY DURING THEIR ESCAPE.
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