Fire Safety Guideline

FIRE SAFETY GUIDELINES
Better Factories Cambodia
2013
A Tool to Prevent Accidents and Catastrophic Loss of
Life and Property in Factories
Contents
1. Purpose of This Guideline ......................................................................1
2. Introduction ...........................................................................................1
3. Legal Framework....................................................................................2
4. Emergency Arrangements and Preparing for Fire Emergencies............2
5. Measures to Minimize Fire Risks ...........................................................3
6. Training ..................................................................................................4
NB: Better Work Country Programmes, including Cambodia, have taken into firm consideration the issue
of fire fatalities at the workplace and place high emphasis on emergency arrangements and necessary
preparations for fire emergencies. Therefore, the issue of holding emergency drill twice per year has
been classified as zero tolerance for those factories that are non-compliant.

1 Purpose of This Guideline | Better Factories Cambodia]
1. Purpose of This Guideline
This guideline is designed to provide employers, managers, and workers with key information on the
severe risks that fires pose at the workplace as well as on their prevention and control.1
This
document also assists those who are responsible for ensuring safety at the workplace to prevent the
catastrophic loss of life and property that could result from a fire.
The recommended actions to be taken by the factory management or responsible officials with
respect to fire safety and emergency arrangements are only the basics. Full details are available in
the Fire Safety Checklist developed by Better Work Global.2
2. Introduction
Fire fatalities in factories around the world are the most severe consequence of Occupational Safety
and Health (OSH) accidents. For example, recent fires in Cambodia, Pakistan and Bangladesh caused
the death of hundreds of workers and civilians:
September
2012
Karachi,
Pakistan
 289 killed in a fire at a garment factory;
 25 workers were injured; and
 Factory employed 400 to 500 workers.3
November
2012
Dhaka,
Bangladesh
 117 killed in fire at a clothing factory;
 200 workers were injured as they rushed to get out of the
factory; and
 About 2,000 people were working in the factory when the
fire started.4
December
2012
Siem Reap,
Cambodia
 8 (including 4 children) killed in a fire at the night market;
and
 Damage from fire was estimated to cost $1 million.5
In Cambodia, fires have occurred in many different types of buildings including factories, residences,
hotels, night clubs, shops and fuel depots. For instance, an administrative office in a jean garment
factory (M.I.G) caught fire on April 19, 2008, damaging all documents and around 10 computers.6
A
few months later, on October 15, 2008, a factory building (CMCW) was burnt down, destroying
sewing machines, raw materials, and final products ready for export.7
. On February 28, 2009, a fire
broke out in the packing building of Wilson Garment, destroying 70% of the garments and 100
1
ILO SafeWork, Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (2012): Fire Risk
Management, p.2, http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---
safework/documents/publication/wcms_194781.pdf
2
Better Work (2012): Fire Safety Checklist, Geneva.
3
Raza Sayah, At Least 289 Killed as Fire in Pakistan Garment Factory Rages, CNN, Sept. 12, 2012,
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/asia/pakistan-factory-fire/index.html
4
Farid Ahmed, At Least 117 Killed in Fire at Bangladesh Clothing Factory, CNN, Nov.25, 2012,
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/25/world/asia/bangladesh-factory-fire/index.html?iref=allsearch
5
Mech Dara and Simon Lewis, Siem Reap Fire Kills Eight, The Cambodian Daily, Dec.10, 2012,
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/siem-reap-market-fire-kills-8-6531/
6
Raksmei Kampuchea, An Administrative Office of Jean Garment Factory in Tuol Kork Was on Fire, Apr.20-21,
2008.
7
Kohsantepheap Daily, A Garment Factory Was Completely Burnt Down, Oct. 17, 2008.

22
2 Legal Framework | Better Factories Cambodia]
sewing machines in that building.8
The biggest garment factory fire took place on March 31, 2011
and lead to the closure of June Textile, a factory that employed 4,096 workers.9
Learning from these
experiences, what preventative measures can we implement to effectively avoid these accidents
from happening in the future?
3. Legal Framework
The 1997 Cambodian Labour Law requires all enterprises to have procedures in place to handle
emergencies (e.g. fires, explosions, and natural disasters),, promote health and safety, and prevent
work-related accidents. The ILO Guide to the Cambodian Labour Law for the Garment Industry (the
Guide) suggests that emergency drills be held regularly at least twice per year. The Guide also
recommends installing clearly marked emergency doors that are accessible and unlocked whenever
workers are present. The Guide further recognizes that fire extinguishers should be installed and
inspected regularly.10
The Government of Cambodia has recently passed the Fire Prevention and Fire-Fighting Draft Law
(Draft Law) so that it can be discussed and approved by the National Assembly of the Kingdom of
Cambodia. The purpose of the Draft Law is to contribute to the maintenance of security, social
safety, and public order as well as the protection of life and property.11
. Chapter 3 of the Draft Law
addresses fire preventive measures including storage, transportation, management, and sales of
flammable substances. This chapter requires the Ministry of Interior to issue relevant policies on fire
prevention and provide needed training on effective methods for fire prevention and fire fighting.12
Taking into account the existing legal framework and good practices, what can employers, workers,
and relevant stakeholders do to effectively prevent fires in the workplace? This guideline provides
some possible, low cost fire preventive measures as discussed below.
4. Emergency Arrangements and Preparing for Fire Emergencies
In order to prepare for emergency situations that may arise due to fires or other natural disasters,
factory management or other responsible officials should:13
 Ensure that there are procedures in place to handle emergencies (e.g. fire, explosion, and/or
natural disaster);
 Ensure that managers, supervisors and workers are aware of these procedures;
 Install automatic fire detection and alarm systems (smoke detectors, heat detectors or flame
detectors) in all areas of the building where flammable materials are being stored;
 Post an updated and visible evacuation plan for all workers and visitors;
 Ensure that the factory has sufficient emergency exits that are unobstructed and unlocked
at all times and open in the direction of the flow of workers during an evacuation;
8
Kohsantepheap Daily, Fire Broke up at the Packaging Building of Garment Factory, Mar. 02, 2009
9
The Phnom Penh Post, Garment Factory, June Textiles Co., Ltd Cambodia, Under Fire, Apr. 02, 2011
http://www.phnompenh.gov.kh/news-garment-factory-june-textiles-coltd-cambodia-under-fire-974.html and
CLEC, June Textiles Awarded Payment for Termination, CLEC, Jul. 31, 2011,
http://www.clec.org.kh/proact.php?actID=35&pID=6
10
Cambodian Labour Law (1997), Art.230 and Guide to the Cambodian Labour Law for the Garment Industry
(Reprinted 2011), p.31.
11
Xinhua, Cambodia Passes Fire Prevention Draft Law, Dec. 14, 2012
12
Speech of Cambodian Prime Minister, Statement of Fact on Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Draft Law,
Dec.27, 2012
13
Better Work Indonesia: Newsletter 4
th
Edition, 2012, p.12 and Cambodian Labour Law Art. 230.

33
3 Measures to Minimize Fire Risks | Better Factories Cambodia]
 Where curtains are used, assure that they are of a fire resistant material;
 Ensure that there are at least two exit routes to a safe area outside of the building from
every work station;
 Clearly mark each exit route and provide functional lighting so that exit routes are well lit
during the day and night;
 Provide an adequate number of exit stairways (at least two) of sufficient strength and width
to support the rapid evacuation of all workers from floors above or below ground level;
 Keep exit routes clear of any obstructions;
 Post a warning sign at each lift station (on each floor) indicating DO NOT USE THE LIFT FOR
EVACUATION DURING A FIRE;
 Ensure that the factory has enough fire-fighting equipment (such as a sufficient number of
extinguishers);14
 Ensure that all fire-fighting equipment functions properly;
 Place fire extinguishers in a sufficient number of locations based on specific fire hazards;
 Always locate fire
extinguishers along the exit
route from each area;
 Check with the local fire
brigade or labour inspectorate
about the appropriateness of
types of fire extinguishers for
different fire hazards;
 Mount fire extinguishers at a
reasonable height and clearly
mark each of their locations15
;
 Keep obstructions cleared
from in front of each fire
extinguisher; and
 Carry out at least two fire
drills per year that require the full
evacuation of all workers to areas of
safety outside of the workplace.
5. Measures to Minimize Fire Risks
The factory management or responsible staff should do the following:16
14
According to section 1926.150(c)(1)(i) of the OSHA, the United States Department of Labour: Safety and
Health Regulations for Construction, a fire extinguisher shall be placed for each 278.709 square meter (3,000
square feet) of protected building area and the distance for another fire extinguisher shall not exceed 30.48
meters (100 feet), available at
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10671; and the ILO
Ergonomic Checkpoints: Practical and Easy-to-Implement Solutions for Improving Safety, Health and Working
Conditions (2
nd
Edition, 2010), p.172, suggests that a sufficient number of fire extinguishers and place them
within about 20 meters of each workplace, available at
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---safework/documents/instructionalmaterial/wcms_178593.pdf
15
The Better Work Fire Safety Checklist recommends that fire extinguishers be mounted within 22.86 meters
(75 feet) of outside areas containing flammable liquids, and within 3.048 meters (10 feet) of any inside storage
area for such materials.
© Photo by DoLVT/MDG-F: Pile of products and materials block
the access way to the fire extinguisher

44
4 Training | Better Factories Cambodia]
 Isolate flammable solids, liquids and gases from sources of ignition such as open flames,
heated surfaces to prevent fires and explosions;
 Restrict the distribution of flammable materials used for daily work to only the minimum
necessary for that day;
 Construct designed fuel storage facilities in a clearly marked location, well separated from
areas where personnel are working;
 Ensure that flammable substances or combustible materials are isolated from hot surfaces
such as machines, equipment and heated equipment;
 Install and maintain all electrical circuits that are adequately grounded to prevent arcing and
sparking, heat caused by overloading and short circuits; and
 Protect each electrical circuit with an adequate fuse or circuit breaker located in a well-
constructed box in close proximity to the work station.
6. Training
The factory management or responsible staff should perform the following tasks: 17
 At least twice per year, provide refresher training to all workers on how to eliminate fire
hazards and how to respond if a fire is detected;
 Train managers and supervisors on fire safety, fire control (including the use of fire
extinguishing systems), and on how to lead an evacuation;
 Train a sufficient number of factory workers to use fire-fighting equipment; and
 Conduct periodic emergency drills for all workers in the factory twice a year.
16
ILO SafeWork, Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (2012): Action Checklist Fire
Safety, p.2, http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---
safework/documents/publication/wcms_194782.pdf
17
Supra note 13, p.4.
Access paths are free of obstructionAccess paths are not free of obstruction

Fire Safety Guideline

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