Enugu – The Federal Fire Service (FSS) on Tuesday advised dealers in oil and gas to always choose an appropriate time of the day to discharge or load the products.
The South-East Commander of the service, Mr Joseph Esinwoke, gave the advice in Enugu at a public lecture entitled: `Safety Measures and Fire Prevention Strategies in Oil and Gas Environment’.
Esinwoke noted that safety of human lives and the surroundings is critical factor to the operations of oil and gas companies determined to maintain “a high credibility”.
“ You don’t need to discharge at the time customers come within the environment.
“You must always do this before the customers start arriving or at the point the customers must have stopped coming within such environment.
“That is to say, you now need to discharge towards the evening hours or maybe late in the evening say from 6 (p.m) downwards or in the early mornings of the morning, you can equally do your discharging.
“So, you now do it when the environment is under check, under control.
“So that it will not get to a point where the temperature has gotten to the inflammable limit, where lives and property are in danger’’.
According o him, it is mandatory for anybody establishing an oil and gas plant to seek approval from the service and the town planning office to avert colossal loss of lives and property.
In his remarks, Chief Ndubisi Nnam, the Managing Director of NAMTEX Oil and Gas Limited, commended FSS for organising the sensitisation programme for the improvement of their services to the public.
“We would continue to partner with you and abide by laid down regulations for the safety of all.’’
NAN reports that the sensitisation is sequel to the Nnewi gas explosion incident of Dec. 24 leading to the death of scores of people, loss of property and environmental degradation. (NAN)