Administrators of factories or chemical storage warehouses face a fine of up to NT$10 million (US$308,404) if they do not send representatives to assist with disaster relief efforts if a fire breaks out in their facilities following passage yesterday of amendments to the Fire Services Act (消防法).
The amendments were proposed after four firefighters died while working at a blaze at a Launch Technologies Co (明揚國際) factory in Pingtung County on Sept. 22 last year.
The incident prompted calls for bolstering occupational safety rules for firefighters and ensuring that businesses meet fire safety requirements.
Photo copied by Lin Chia-tung, Taipei Times
The amendments require administrators of factories, chemical storage warehouses and laboratories to provide floor plans, locations of chemicals and other information that would facilitate rescue efforts.
They also require administrators to immediately send qualified personnel to be at an emergency to assist in disaster relief.
Administrators who do not dispatch personnel would be fined NT$500,000 to NT$10 million. The fine would be reduced to NT$50,000 to NT$3 million if the facilities do not produce, store or handle chemicals, the amendments say.
Administrators would be fined NT$50,000 to NT$3 million for failing to provide floor plans, while those who do not provide details on the types, quantities and locations of chemicals stored in the facilities would be fined NT$100,000 to NT$5 million, they say.
Administrators are required to have fire emergency mitigation plans for facilities based on their size, and whether they are used to manufacture, store or process dangerous goods. Those who fail to do so face jail terms of up to seven years if a fire breaks out and leads to casualties, they say.
The definition of a whistle-blower was expanded to include all personnel working in facilities that produce dangerous items. A a percentage of fines collected by local governments is to go toward rewards for whistle-blowers, the amendments say.
The central government is required to establish a firefighters’ occupational safety and health consultation conference that would make policy recommendations.
Firefighting agencies at all levels must have dedicated units and personnel responsible for occupational safety and health issues, and they must regularly check the health of firefighters, the amendments say.
All levels of government must list funding allocated to procure protective gear, and implement health and safety measures as priority budget items, they say.
Firefighting departments would be fined NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 for contravening safety and hygiene regulations, or failing to address issues on time, they say.
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