Fire safety needs to be taken seriously

There was a tragic incident this week in which five people died when a fire broke out at a factory manufacturing helmets in the Katuwana Industrial Zone in Homagama. Over 80 employees were on duty when the fire erupted.

The intensity of the fire prevented firefighters from reaching the area where the victims were trapped. More than 10 fire engines belonging to several Municipal Councils, including Kotte, Colombo, and Horana, were deployed to douse the fire. Police suspect that an electrical short circuit may have led to the fire. This is not the only such incident in recent months.

In June, a fire at an elders' home in Anguruwatota led to the deaths of 12 of its inmates, with six others sustaining serious injuries. There were 71 residents staying at the elders' home at the time of the incident, and faulty wiring is believed to have caused the fire.

In another incident in June, three individuals died following a fire that broke out at a restaurant near Thalawathugoda Junction. The fire is suspected to have been caused by a gas leak, and as the premises in question had no ventilation or escape route, the three men died.

After the Homagama fire, Labour Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe directed Labour Commissioner General's Department officials to submit a comprehensive report on the incident. The report is expected to examine the cause of the fire and determine whether the factory had complied with fire safety regulations and employee protection standards.

The Deputy Minister has also sought details on the safety measures implemented by the company to protect its employees and whether all mandatory workplace safety requirements had been met.

These incidents illustrate that there are not adequate fire safety measures in many places of work. Gas leaks and faulty wiring are two main reasons for fires, which are avoidable. Along with these, there are not adequate fire escape routes in many places, which means there is a chance there will be more such tragic incidents, which are wholly preventable if the necessary legal requirements for workplaces to prevent fires are in place.

The Fire Regulations in Sri Lanka are contained under the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) Act No. 33 of 2014, which provides the minimum requirements for fire protection design and construction of new buildings and renovation of existing buildings throughout Sri Lanka. The Regulations are enforced locally by municipal fire services such as the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Fire Service Department.

The Regulations cover mandatory requirements such as Administration and Applications, Means of Escape, Structural Fire Precautions, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Fire Protection and Suppression Systems, Accessibility for Fire Fighting, Inspection and Maintenance, and Testing of Active/Passive Fire Protection Facilities.

Despite the Regulations being in place, along with other laws such as the Factories Ordinance, Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Act, the Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act, etc., there are many shortcomings where fire safety implementation and enforcement are concerned.

This is one area that has been neglected for many years by the labour authorities but cannot be taken lightly any longer. The Labour Commissioner General must ensure that workplaces have the legally required safeguards, while other Government institutions too must do their part to ensure the necessary safety measures are in place before a worse tragedy takes place.