XN000022-1981-10-27 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1981

MANY PEOPLE SEEMED TO THINK THAT COUNTRYSIDE FIRES ARE OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE INSIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN TERMS OF BUILDINGS AND HUMAN LIFE.

+THIS IS A MISTAKEN BELIEF, MR WHOLEY SAID, +HILL FIRES DO COST MONEY BOTH TO MEET THE COST OF THE FIRE FIGHTING ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED, AND IN TERMS OF LOSS ON THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS IN GOVERNMENT PLANTATIONS AND COUNTRY PARKS.+

IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT AND NOT-EASILY- QUANTIFIABLE LOSSES IN TERMS OF VEGETATION, LANDSCAPE QUALITY, WILD LIFE HABITAT, RISK OF EROSION AND SUBSEQUENT SILTING, ALL OF WHICH ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

MR WHOLEY CITED GRAVE WORSHIPPERS, ILLEGAL BARBECUE PARTIES, CARELESS HIKERS OR CAMPERS AND FARMERS WHO BURN OFF RUBBISH, AS THE MAIN CAUSES OF COUNTRYSIDE FIRES.

ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAD STEADILY IMPROVED AND STRENGTHENED ITS CAPABILITY TO DEAL WITH HILL FIRES, THE FINAL SOLUTION DEPENDED ON THE PREVENTION OF FIRE AND ONLY THE SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND REAL CO-OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC COULD MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.

THE CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, MR CHAN SHIU-LAP, WHO ALSO SPOKE AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE, STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE SAFETY PRECAUTION IN WORKPLACES AND IN PARTICULAR THE PROBLEM OF OBSTRUCTION TO MEANS OF ESCAPE.

HE SAID LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 407 CASES HEARD BY THE COURTS FOR INFRINGEMENT OF FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS, RESULTING IN FINES AMOUNTING TO $351 450. OF THESE CASES, 249 OR OVER 60 PER CENT WERE CONCERNED WITH OBSTRUCTION TO MEANS OF ESCAPE.

HR CHAN SA ID THAT THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS ADOPTING AN ACTIVE APPROACH TO IMPROVE FIRE SAFETY IN FACTOR IES THROUGH ENFORCING LEGISLATION, EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY. APART FROM SAFETY COURSES RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE, A NEW SET OF FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (FIRE PRECAUTIONS IN REGISTRABLE WORKPLACES) REGULATIONS WHICH CARRY PENALTIES RANGING FROM $10 000 TO $30 000 WAS INTRODUCED IN JULY THIS YEAR TO LAY DOWN MORE STRINGENT FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

+MOST OF THE FIRES OCCURRING IN FACTORIES ARE A RESULT OF POOR MAINTENANCE OR OVERLOADING OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, UNSAFE PRACTICE

IN THE USE OF FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES AND POOR HOUSEKEEPING, THESE DEFECTS COULD BE EASILY RECTIFIED IF THOSE IN THE WORKPLACES, EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ALIKE, PAY PROPER ATTENTION TO FIRE SAFETY, MR CHAN ADDED.

PUBLICITY FOR THIS YEAR'S FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN WOULD BE STEPPED UP IN THE FORM OF LEAFLETS, POSTERS, WARNING SIGNS, BOOKMARKS, RADIO ANNOUNCEMENTS AND FILMS ON TELEVISION.

IN ADDITION, A TEACHING KIT HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO SPREAD THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF FIRE SAFETY TO SCHOOL CHILDREN.

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