XN000022-1972-07-18 — Page 7

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Tuesday, July 18, 1972

"POOR HOUSEKEEPING" RESPONSIBLE FOR FACTORY FIRES

The majority of factory fires in Hong Kong are said to be

caused through "poor housekeeping".

The Chief Fire Officer, Kowloon Command, Mr. R.H. Holmes, speaking

at the first of a series of one-day courses on Fire Prevention, described

15 forms of poor housekeeping.

These included the lack of a floor sweeper

or cleaner, unsafe stacking of raw materials and finished goods, allowing

employees to smoke in prohibited areas, the removal of self-closing

doors, locked exit doors and the obstruction of installed fire fighting

equipment.

Mr. Holmes said that in many instances when a fire broke out

everyone would be leaving it to the others to call for assistance from

the Fire Services.

He urged managements to encourage their employees to know the

various routes of escape from the factory buildings, and advised people

never to use a lift in a building which is affected by fire.

The special one-day fire prevention courses are being organised

by the Labour Department in conjunction with the Fire Services Department

and are being held at the Industrial Safety Training Centre, Labour Department

Kowloon Regional Office, 393 Canton Road.

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