PESHAWAR: Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) Managing Director Abdul Hameed Khan has said that it has become essential for all small industrial units to install proper firefighting equipment and ensure practical training of staff to effectively respond to emergency situations and sudden fire incidents.
He said this during a meeting with a representative delegation of the Small Industrialists Association, Peshawar Industrial Estate, led by its president, Waheed Arif Awan.
The delegation included Anwar Maqsood, Muzaffar Khan, Yousuf, Mehran, Insaf, Muhammad Sohail and Nazif Maqsood.
Deputy Managing Director Noman Fayyaz, Joint Director Ghalib Shah and Estate In-charge Amjad Hussain were also present on the occasion.
The SIDB managing director stated that a large number of fire incidents in factories occur due to short circuits, faulty wiring, overloading of electrical systems and a lack of preventive safety measures.
Such incidents often result in heavy financial losses, as raw materials, machinery and finished products are reduced to ashes within minutes.
He said that the losses caused by fire can be minimized to a considerable extent if factories are equipped with the required firefighting arrangements and employees are properly trained to deal with emergencies.
Abdul Hameed Khan added that a timely response during the initial moments of a fire plays a vital role in controlling the spread of flames and protecting both human lives and industrial assets.
He informed the delegation that SIDB, in collaboration with the relevant emergency response and rescue organisations, is launching a comprehensive awareness and training campaign for industrial workers and factory management on fire prevention, the use of firefighting equipment, evacuation procedures and emergency response techniques.
The SIDB chief emphasized that the active cooperation of factory owners and industrialists is indispensable for the success of this initiative.
He urged all industrial units to strictly follow safety protocols and create a safe working environment for labourers and technical staff.
Abdul Hameed Khan also announced that, after the successful implementation of the training programme in Peshawar Industrial Estate, the scope of the initiative would gradually be extended to other industrial estates and districts, including Hazara, Kohat, Mardan, Charsadda, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Malakand divisions, to promote industrial safety across the province.
