An official said that fire accidents in Jeddah was reduced by 80-90 percent last year owing to the Civil Defense Department’s monitoring of safety measures in factories, warehouses and shops and ensuring their implementation.

Director of Civil Defense in Jeddah Brig. Salem bin Marsouq Al-Matrafi said there are over 650 gas stations in Jeddah that are in violation of the department’s regulations.

He was speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of a meeting at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sunday on ways to improve prevention and safety measures in factories and warehouses. The meeting was attended by factory and warehouse owners, safety equipment businessmen and the chamber’s officials.

Al-Matrafi stressed on the public’s role of cooperating with the Civil Defense, saying that the government’s departments and different entities have to implement safety measures and educate the public about them as “(increased) fire accidents can cause huge loss of human lives and damage to infrastructure.”

JCCI’s secretary general Adnan bin Hasan Mandoura said the meeting discussed causes of fire accidents, impacts and costs, as well as significant observations and regulations related to safety in factories and warehouses.

“The concept of safety encompasses several procedures, rules and requirements, which act as a preventive measure and provide a safe work environment around human beings,” he said.

The JCCI’s safety committee explained the challenges facing the sector in the sale and maintenance of safety equipment. It proposed the creation of an independent regulation and the development of existing regulations governing the sector.