Conducted by Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB), Honeywell survey finds that nearly 40% of visitors to hospitals, airports, shopping malls and office buildings, lack awareness of exits in case of fire and more than one in four do not follow appropriate fire evacuation procedures in the event of an alarm.
As per the survey, nearly 50 per cent of workers revealed that they have not participated in a fire drill or other safety training exercise. Nearly 80 per cent of visitors responded that they were not aware of fire alarm procedures indicating a lack of visible signage and instructions.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 24,232 deaths in 2010-11, or 6.3% of total deaths in India, were due to fire accidents. In hospitals, nearly 40 per cent of employees are unaware of fire evacuation procedures.
“To avoid catastrophic situations due to a fire employers and building owners need to have appropriate fire alarm systems, and also conduct regular training for employees and have appropriate signage in place for visitors. While almost all of those surveyed said they had fire alarm systems in place, there is a deep lack of awareness of the steps that should be taken if a fire or other critical issue occurs,” said Harish Vellat, Regional Director, Honeywell Life Safety (HLS), India.
As a provider of fire systems, Honeywell Life Safety offered a few tips to help facility owners and individuals know what to do in the event of an emergency.
