May 15, 2009
News release
Unsafe buildings threaten government workers' health and safety, says PSAC
Ottawa – The federal government is failing to ensure the safety of thousands of workers and the public by not properly enforcing fire safety rules and regulations, says the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the union representing more than 100,000 federal public sector workers.
PSAC is sounding the alarm in response to the release of the 2009 Spring Report of the Auditor General. The report highlights the government's widespread failure to comply with key requirements of the Treasury Board's Standard for Fire Safety Planning and Fire Emergency Organization.
“The Auditor General has issued a very troublesome report,” says Patty Ducharme, PSAC's National Executive Vice-President.
Auditor General Sheila Fraser points out that less than 20 per cent of government buildings' fire safety plans comply with Treasury Board's fire safety requirements. This means that more than 80 per cent of federal government workplaces have either no fire safety plans or are relying on plans that have not been approved by Labour Canada – putting thousands of PSAC members and the public at risk.
In addition, Fraser notes that although all federal departments are required to conduct annual fire drills, one-third of the 54 buildings that were examined for her report did not comply with this basic requirement.
Fraser is also critical of the lack of enforcement and the government's reliance on voluntary compliance: “In our view, this is not sufficient to administer and enforce the Standard,” says Fraser.
“PSAC agrees with the Auditor General's assertion that voluntary compliance doesn't work when it comes to protecting the safety of people working in and accessing government buildings,” says Ducharme. “We demand that the federal government take action now and not wait for a major catastrophe or loss of life before it starts enforcing its own rules and regulations regarding the safety of its employees and members of the public.”
For information:
Ariel Troster, PSAC Communications
613-292-8363 (cell)
25-150509
Date Modified : 2010/01/29
