‘Learn from London, prioritise safety in old buildings’
SIBU: Important lessons must be learnt from the recent Grenfell Tower, London tragedy for all old buildings, where safety must be the highest priority, including having adequate legislation to ensure regular inspections and safety audits.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health ( Niosh) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said in Malaysia, there are also similar old high- rise residential units such as lowcost flats in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of the country, for which inadequate attention on fire prevention may give rise to fire outbreaks .
“Building maintenance, upgrading fire protection systems, installation of smoke detectors, replacing of old wiring and good housekeeping are matters which must be carried out by all stakeholders.
“We have to remember that fires killed 107 people and injured 477 others nationwide last year. The previous year, the number of deaths due to fire was 153 while the number of those injured was 467.
“Fire and Rescue Department director- general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim was quoted saying in September last year that on average, about 6,000 premises are destroyed by fire every year nationwide. He said about 40 per cent of these involve private houses, while the remaining 60 per cent involve other types of buildings such as offices, factories, schools, and shop houses.
“Although most of the buildings built in Malaysia complied with the Uniform Building By- Laws 1984 and were granted with the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC), he said many of them had failed to regularly maintain the safety system of their premises,” Lee said in a statement to The Borneo Post yesterday.
He noted most building owners are reluctant to spend on maintenance as it may cost a bit more, but maintenance is important for fire prevention.
Lee said for occupants of high- rise buildings, the most important thing to remember in case of a fire is to remain calm.
He stressed that the building management and its occupants must know different routes to safety and all the paths should be unobstructed.
“I realise that some owners of our residential units also install grilles for safety reasons but unfortunately, they could become death traps. Grilles should be designed in a way that they can be opened and closed easily,” he said.
Referring to the report “Towering inferno in London” on a fire that swept through a high- rise apartment building in West London, killing dozens of victims and injuring more than 70 people, Lee said: “Our hearts go out to all the victims, particularly those who were trapped and perished in the fire at Grenfell Tower.”
According to Lee, it was also reported that Grenfell Tower had suffered repeated power surges amid claims of poor wiring and many have also blamed the use of polystyrene cladding panels as the reason why the fire spread very quickly.
“The use of aluminium composite panels (ACP) with combustible cores as cladding have been linked to several high- rise fires over the years. Back at home, the Fire and Rescue Department has also expressed concern over the use of low or questionable quality ACPs by contractors which can be fire hazards.”
Lee added: “The outcome of the investigation by the relevant authorities in London should therefore be of great interest to us, the developers and the various authorities, as important lessons must be learnt from the London tragedy.”
He said there was a need for the government to increase public awareness on the importance of maintaining building safety, given the increase in fire cases in Malaysia.