DLPW warns workplaces to caution conflagration during New Year Festival, any person who violates Safety Law shall be fined and imprisoned.

            Department of Labour Protection and Welfare warns employer, employee and workplaces about conflagration during New Year Festival due to dry weather easy to kindle a fire. The Department also explained about Safety Law and its sanctions in case of violation. 
            Mrs. Unporn Nitisiri, Director-General to Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, revealed that according to the conflagration occurring on 1 January- December 2009 at totally 108 places, classified into industrial category for 74 places, services category for 32 places and construction category for 2 places, there were totally 202 injured workers and 69 deaths in conflagration. As from these figures, the highest number of conflagration happened during New Year Festival due to dry weather and consecutive holidays since some workplaces might have to accelerate to manufacture goods to meet a due or in advance, some of them have not completed building, machine and equipment maintenances. Therefore, strictly preventive and monitoring measures for electronic devices should be laid down. Also, gas, oil and inflammable substances should be kept appropriately as well as fires control and monitoring should be provided during such period.
             Department of Employment, which has its functions to monitor and provide a protection  on working safety in workplaces in pursuant to Notification of Ministry of Interior on prevention and suspension of fire in workplaces dated on 24 November 1991,, therefore, emphasizes the employers on in compilation  with the laws and arranging fire prevention and basic extinguisher training and arranging fire drill at least 1 time/year as prescribed in the Law. In case of violation or failure to comply with the Working Safety Law shall be imprisoned not more than 1 year or fined not more than 200,000 baht or both.
            For more information, please contact Labour Safety Bureau, Department of Labour Protection and Welfare ( Talingchan Intersection), Chimplee, Talingchan, Bangkok, tel 02-448-8338 or visit www.oshthai.org or contact nice@labour.go.th.