Nearly 40 Pct of Visitors to Hospitals, Office Buildings Lack Awareness of What to Do In Event of Fire

Bangalore: Nearly 40 percent of visitors to hospitals, airports, shopping malls and office buildings in major cities in India are unaware of the location of fire exits, and more than one in four do not follow appropriate fire evacuation procedures in the event of an alarm, according to a recent study by Honeywell conducted by Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB).

The study, conducted to raise awareness of the important role that the public plays in fire safety, also showed an overall lack of training or awareness for both workers and visitors in these facilities, with nearly 50 percent of workers saying they have not participated in a fire drill or other safety training exercise. Nearly 80 percent of visitors responded that they were not aware of fire alarm procedures indicating a lack of visible signage and instructions.

Fire safety awareness is a crucial factor in avoiding fire-related incidents, and businesses, workers and visitors to their facilities need to equip themselves with basic safety knowledge, as well as ensure that the systems protecting them are appropriately designed for the risk they are protecting against.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 24,232 deaths in 2010-11, or 6.3 percent of total deaths in India, were due to fire accidents. “Most injury and fatalities from fire incidents happen due to lack of awareness about what to do in case of a fire alarm as well as lack of preparedness by facility owners,” said Mr. D.K. Shami, Dy. Fire Adviser, Directorate General of Civil Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. “Per the Fire Act, we have a legal and moral obligation to employees to secure them against the risk of fire.”

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