[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’How safe are our malls? ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
EDITORIAL
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
January 14, 2018
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
CALLS for fire safety audit of malls nationwide are growing loud, no doubt prompted by the fatal fire that struck a mall in Davao City over two weeks ago. Now, people are getting more conscious of malls’ adherence to or violations of fire safety and healthy and safe workplace regulations.
A nationwide inspection to be conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) will greatly minimize fire incidents in malls. It is outrageous to see another fire incident taking place at a mall in Cebu City when just 15 days before it, 38 workers perished in the Davao mall fire. We cannot just dismiss these as isolated incidents. There is growing a suspicion of possible widespread violation of fire safety standards – and compromise the safety of mall goers and well-being of mall workers – to cut costs and make bigger profit for themselves.
The recent mall fires can be viewed as symptoms of the wanton disregard of department store owners to go around our building safety laws and ignore workplace policy on workers’ health and safety. We thus have to find out how safe or how fire-risky are the malls nationwide if possible. The Associated Labor Unions – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines envisions a joint DOLE-BFP safety audit inspections to be conducted immediately to coincide with the forthcoming dry season when most fire incidents happen.
The fire safety audit of malls is important because people work there and children, old folks and entire families consider malls as home. It is the place for work, recreation and business. Malls have become very important places in the community. But how safe are our malls in the light of these fatal fire incidents?
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
