XN000022-1993-05-12 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1993

APPEAL FOR FIRE SAFETY IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS

LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR CHAN TAT-KING TODAY (WEDNESDAY) CALLED ON OWNERS OF NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES TO MAINTAIN IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION AND FREE FROM OBSTRUCTION EVERY DOORWAY, STAIRWAY AND PASSAGEWAY WHICH AFFORDS A MEANS OF ESCAPE IN CASE OF FIRE.

HE

MADE THE APPEAL FOLLOWING A RECENT FACTORY FIRE IN BANGKOK IN WHICH MORE THAN 200 WORKERS WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED.

INDUSTRIAL REGULATIONS

MR CHAN SAID OWNERS OF NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES WOULD COMMIT AN OFFENCE UNDER REGULATION 5 OF THE FACTORIES AND UNDERTAKINGS (FIRE PRECAUTIONS IN NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES) IF THEY FAILED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF FIRE ESCAPES WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE.

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"UPON CONVICTION, PROPRIETORS CONTRAVENING THIS REGULATION ARE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $30,000 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS, HE ADDED.

MR CHAN ALSO REMINDED 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 ESCAPE FROM THE WORKPLACE.

"TO PREVENT A DOMINO EFFECT RESULTING FROM A STAMPEDE OF WORKERS ESCAPING FROM A FIRE IN A MULTI-STOREY INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, PROPP | ETORS 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 RNTER THE WORKPLACE.

IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO FIND MANY ESCAPERS 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.

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HE ADVISED THAT ALL WORKERS IN THE WORKPLACE SHOULD BE REMINDED FROM TIME TO TIME TO MAKE PULL USE OF ALL AVAILABLE STAIRWAYS INSTEAD OF USING ONE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY,

**TO AROUSE GREATER AWARENESS OF FIRE SAFETY AMONG WORKERS, FIRST-AID FIRE-FIGHTING TEAMS SHOULD BE SET UP WITHIN THE BUILDING AND FIRE DRILLS SHOULD BE ARRANGED FROM TIME To DURING DRY SEASON. WHERE NECESSARY ADVICE PROM DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE SOUGHT, HE SAID.

TIME PARTICULARLY THE FIRE SERVICES

/11E SAID