Chintada Krupavaram, the district fire protection officer, has asked all 38 major industries to make fire protection equipment maintenance and constant monitoring to prevent breakdowns a top priority.
Citing the industrial breakdowns due to poor maintenance of safety equipment during the closure of factories during the COVID-induced lockdown last year, he said factory management must ensure the functioning of fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, sprinklers and hydrants, among other things.
“The inspection of all major industries including pharmaceutical companies was completed last week. Some companies were found to have failed to comply with norms and standards prescribed by the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management and Fire Protection Department. We sent them notices and submitted a report explaining the steps to take to ensure absolute security in the respective premises, ”said Krupavaram The Hindu.
He said proper maintenance of safety equipment last year could have saved 34 lives and property worth £ 24.7 million. Property worth £ 14.95 billion has been lost in work accidents in the past three months.
Staff training
“We attach great importance to the internal training of 192 employees who work with 14 fire stations in the district. You should ensure proper maintenance of all vehicles and fire extinguishers on a regular basis. You should reach the fire accident site at the earliest. The timing of the emergency call and the arrival of the team are respected in order to improve the efficiency of the staff, ”said Krupavaram.
He said that assistant fire protection officers BJDS Prasanth Kumar and K.Srinu Babu oversaw the internal training programs and hands-on courses for the fire protection officers and other staff.
The department would continue to conduct inspections of hospitals, theaters and shopping malls to ensure the installation and maintenance of fire extinguishers.
Mr Krupavaram said state hospitals, including the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Srikakulam, had been advised to make equipment safety a top priority.