No emergency exit,no life safety:DG Rescue 1122

Lahore: The Director General Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) Dr. Rizwan Naseer reviewed the survey carried out by different departments regarding hazardous industries in residential areas at Emergency Services Academy on Thursday.

The Director General asked the owners of industries not to put their own & workers lives and property at risk and must ensure appropriate emergency exits and fire safety equipment installed at their factories. Dr. Rizwan Naseer discussed the need to evolve mechanism for monitoring and inspection of industrial units in residential areas.

Earlier, the Director General was informed by the District Fire Officer Lahore that during this survey overall 6789 units were reported with no fire fighting arrangements; 4419 units were reported with poor or unsafe building, 900 were found with boiler and pressure vessels whereas survey teams passed adverse remarks about 1010 units. These adverse remarks were passed about 134 shoes factories, 127 plastic industries, 35 chemical, 17 rubbers, 118 engineering, 269 textile and 310 industries fall in manufacturing of multiple articles. The Director General asked the District Fire Office (Lahore) to prepare a detailed report of 71 most high risk industries in order to come up with effective and workable solution to minimize the risks in residential areas.

Furthermore, the teams also found fire detectors/ alarms were not operational where installed whereas fire detectors, fire doors and emergency staircases were also not present in many factories. Similarly, fire safety signs were not displayed at appropriate places and emergency evacuation plans were also not formulated.