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[av_heading heading=’ ‘IT’S NOT TOO LATE’ Call centers called out for fire safety violations ‘ 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=”][/av_heading]
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ILOILO City – Five of the 14 business process outsourcing (BPO) companies that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) inspected in this city were found to have fire safety violations. They were given 15 days to meet government fire safety standards or risk being padlocked.
This city has over 40 BPOs but the fire bureau has so far checked 14, according to Chief Inspector Cristopher Regencia, city fire marshal.
Four of the five BPOs that the fire bureau called out were found to have the following safety issues:
* defective fire alarm
* no fire exit stairs and inadequate number of emergency lights
* no fire safety inspection certificate in 2017
* no fire alarm, insufficient fire exit and had not conducted any fire drill
The other BPO had its fire exit being utilized by a fast food chain for its exhaust ducts and as air-handling unit of the mall where it was located. The BFP recommended that these be relocated or be separated from the fire exit.
Regencia said these BPOs employed at least 50 workers each.
Their violations were “curable”, he stressed, and they were expected to fix them within 15 days from the day they were each issued with a “notice to correct violation” and “notice to comply.”
Regencia said the notices were issued right on the day of inspection, Jan. 2.
A re-inspection would be conducted after the 15-day period. Failure to comply would mean paying penalties or closure of the BPO, said Regencia.
The results of the inspection were submitted to the regional and national headquarters of the BFP on Thursday, Jan. 4, according to the city fire marshal.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III ordered the BFP to inspect BPOs following a mall fire that killed 38 call center agents in Davao City on Dec. 23, 2017.
Among others, they must check if the BPOs have fire exits and if these are serviceable, said Espinosa.
Fire safety standards laid out in the Fire Code of the Philippines must be met, he stressed.
For example, fire exits should be well-lighted so that if brownout occurs or if there is fire, the staff can easily see them and escape, said Espinosa.
The Department of Labor and Employment’s occupational safety and health standard checklist, on the other hand, requires all work establishments to have the following:
* fire inspection certificate
* fire protection equipment/facilities (fire extinguishers, fire hoses, fire detection devices, emergency exits)
* adequate aisles / passageways
* proper office spacing
* good housekeeping
* materials handling and storage
* waste disposal system
* adequate lighting
* noise pollution control
* proper ventilation
* safety and health organization plan, among others
Call center agents’ safety should be ensured while working, especially during nighttime, said Espinosa.
The mayor also said the BFP should conduct fire drills in BPOs.
A fire inspection is a prerequisite to the issuance of a fire safety certificate.
Buildings found to have not met fire safety standards are issued with notices and obliged to meet the requirements.
The five BPOs that the BFP-Iloilo City called out were Teletech, Hinduja, Savant Technology, Reed Elsevier, and GV Contek Solutions Call Center.
In the Davao fire, the call center agents who died worked for the US-based Research Now SSI, which leased the fourth floor of NCCC Mall as their office space.
According to BFP Davao regional director Wilberto Kwan Tiu, the call center agents might have died because of suffocation.
But some locals claimed survivors of the tragedy complained they had difficulty getting through the mall’s fire exits. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
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