XN000022-1982-11-12 — Page 6

5.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1982

THE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (FIRE PRECAUTIONS IN REGISTRABLE WORKPLACES) REGULATIONS, WHICH CARRY PENALTIES VARYING FROM $10 000 TO $30 000, LAY DOWN REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE DOORS, THE USE AND STORAGE OF FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES SAFETY MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED WHEN USING NAKED FIRE AND THE MAINTENANCE OF FIRE ESCAPES WITHIN WORKPLACES AND OF THE FIRE FIGHTING APPLIANCES INSTALLED THERE.

FROM THE ENACTMENT OF THIS LEGISLATION TO SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, 400 CASES INVOLVING THE VIOLATION OF FIRE REGULATIONS WERE BROUGHT TO COURT AND FINES TOTALLING $524 950 WERE IMPOSED, MR YIP NOTED.

MR YIP SAID MOST FACTORY FIRES ARE A RESULT OF POOR MAINTENANCE OR OVER-LOADING OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. UNSAFE PRACTICES IN THE USE OF FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES AND POOR HOUSEKEEPING.

+OBSTRUCTION TO MEANS OF ESCAPE IN WORKPLACES COULD MAKE THE CONSEQUENCES MORE SERIOUS,+ HE STRESSED.

HOWEVER, THESE DEFECTS COULD BE EASILY RECTIFIED IF THOSE IN THE WORKPLACE, EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ALIKE, PAID PROPER ATTENTION TO FIRE SAFETY, HE ADDED.

SURVEY OF RETAIL SALES FOR AUGUST ****

THE VALUE OF RETAIL SALES FOR THE RETAIL TRADE SECTOR IN AUGUST WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $4 285 MILLION, ACCORDING TO PROVISIONAL SURVEY RESULTS ISSUED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

AT 126, THE OVERALL RETAIL SALES VALUE INDEX FOR AUGUST ROSE BY FOUR POINTS OR THREE PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH JULY AND BY SIX POINTS OR FIVE PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1981.

THE OVERALL RETAIL SALES VOLUME INDEX FOR AUGUST, AT 104, WAS THREE POINTS OR THREE PER CENT HIGHER THAN THAT FOR JULY, BUT WAS THREE POINTS OR THREE PER CENT LOWER THAN THAT FOR AUGUST 1981.

/COMPARED WITH