21/09/2005
Al-Ahram Newspaper 2005/SEPTEMBER/21
The fire at Beni Suef Cultural Palace raised many question marks about safety in public places. Like the palace, many other establishments do not have the necessary firefighting equipment, and this could bring about devastating effects in case of fire. All buildings should be provided with such equipment, and those working there should be made aware of the possible hazards and the risks they have to deal with.(Available in Arabic – German in PDF )
The fire at Beni Suef Cultural Palace raised many question marks about safety in public places. Theatres and other buildings frequented by a large number of people must have the necessary firefighting equipment, as the losses may eventually be huge, both economically and in human terms. Most establishments in Egypt, regardless of their function, unfortunately do not have such measures in place. Whatever the reason (managers’ unawareness or miserliness, for example), action must be taken. For instance, a new position (the risk manager) should be created, and workers’ awareness should be increased about the hazards in their workplace. This is indeed a discipline that deserves being studied in Egyptian engineering faculties for the sake of Egypt’s economy and people. The government has to act, as many public buildings have these kind of defects, too. Insurance companies should also have their say, especially after the insurance sector is no longer in the hands of the State alone.