Certify boilers

This letter refers to the news report ‘Four labourers killed, 11 hurt as boiler of factory explodes in Faisalabad’ (Feb 12, 2020).This is not the first time such an incident has occurred but remedial measures remained un-adopted for unknown reasons. This is a gross compromise on safety which has resulted in fatal casualties. As a quality assurance expert, I can add that if periodic inspections of a boiler’s tubes are not carried then scaling will build up in the tubes causing the boiler to explode.

I would recommend that boilers wherever installed must be inspected/tested so that the amount of scaling can be assessed. It is the responsibility of factory inspectors deputed by the provinces to ensure that no boiler is allowed to operate without a fitness certificate in order to avert future fatalities.

Engr Riaz Akbar

Wah Cantt