Several hospitals and hotels in Lahore are operating boilers for their heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems but most of them do not have qualified boiler engineers to operate and supervise the maintenance of those boilers, a survey carried out by Industries Department has revealed.
The survey was carried out after the Hassan Town factory tragedy, an official speaking on the condition of anonymity said. Operating boilers without a qualified engineer is a threat to public safety and a crime, he added. This week, the chief inspector of boilers was assigned to survey 2,190 industries located in residential areas to identify the boilers operating there. The survey revealed that most of the establishments operating did not have a boiler engineer on staff. Boilers were being maintained by trained workers.
According to the report, out of the 2,190 factories in residential areas 120 are operating boilers registered with the directorate of the Industries Department.
A boiler engineer said the government’s decision to allow inspection of industries operating in residential areas was not enough. He said that the government should also order inspection of these industries.
A senior official of the Industries Department said the survey would be completed in another week. The department would then present a comprehensive report to the chief minister, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2012.
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