of them relating to child safety, which ended with a check list of five important factors that was used in all publications and materials brought out to support the campaign.

The campaign was published in nine languages English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali Kannada and Malayalam- and twice as much emphasis was given in vernacular newspapers rather than in English newspapers because it was found that a large number of pedestrian casualties were from the lower-income category who were more likely to read language newspapers. A 90-second black and white film titled "Be A Safe Pedestrian" was made in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Bengali and screened through television centres in Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta and Madras.

Cinema and TV slides, a pedestrian safety pamphlet with quiz in English, a three-colour poster, a four page gatefold in Reader's Digest" and "Sarvottam" and 1,000 copies of a film chart on safety were also made available.

Its defensive driving campaign was evolved after statistics showed that truck drivers and bus drivers were involved in about 50 per cent of road accidents followed by motor car drivers (20 per cent) and taxi drivers (nine per cent). In 48 per cent of the cases, the fault was with the driver concerned and only in six per oent, a vehicle defect was involved. In this series, two ads were prepared, "How To Defend Yourself Against Six Dangerous Surprises on the Road" and "Six Sudden Dangers on the Road and How to Defend Yourself".

Sudden Dangers

Using a copy-based format, six situations were identified relating to the driver ahead, the driver who cuts lanes, the driver who beats the red light, the driver who overtakes, the sudden-braker, the centre-line crosser and the trick cyclist. Information was given on how to anticipate such action and take neces

sary precautionary action such as allowing the rash overtaker to pass, keeping a safe distance from the car in front, tapping the horn of flicking the lights and moving to the left.

the

The Second ad high-lighted careless crosser, the blind curve . the absent-minded driver, unpredicatable children and so on. Both ads gave the five-point defensive driving code of concern for accident prevention regardless of who is right, alertness for illegal acts and driving errors of other drivers, flexibility that adjusts driving to various hazards presented by the mechanical functioning of the vehicle, road surface, the traffic weather and light conditions; knowledge of traffic rules and regulations; and courtesy and consideration for other road users.

As many as 1,00,000 copies of "The Survival Guide" booklet highlighting the defensive driving code were given to the Delhi traffic police headed by Mrs. Kiran Bedi for distribution at the time of the Asian Games, Mr. Mitra told this correspondent.

The "Loss Preventions News" quarterly contains highly informative fire safety data sheets and safety information charts, analysis of big fires and the lessons learnt therefrom., safe storage and handling of LPG cylinders, fire safety in acetylene manufacturing plants, a guide to fire protection equipment in India, scientific packaging and loss prevention safety in fork lift operations crash helmets and so on.

So far as fire prevention in factories is concerned, the LPA has stressed the importance of cleanliness and order and the dangers that waste, obstructions and badly stored materials pose. The fire safety checklist suggests that all goods should be stored with aisles between stacks for easy accesibility to fire spots in the event of fire, that machinery and surroundings must be clean and that heat from machines can ignite oil leaks and

cotton waste,. A newspaper office was burned down recently because of this.

Oil should leak into drip trays and not the floor. Sawdust, cotton and other waste should be disposed of in metal cons with lids. Packing materials such as paper wood cardboard and polythylene film should not be scattered. Smoking should not be allowed in fire risk areas and electrical wiring and fittings should be standard and handled by professional electricians and periodically checked.

Combustible materials and flammable liquids should be stored properly and safely and fire safety measures and training of personnel in fire fighting should figure high in a factory's list of priorities. In India, fire destroys property and goods

worth Rs. 3 crores every day and over a thousand people die and several lakhs are injured or incapacitated every year, the LPA informs us Cables should be adequately separated. Fuse blowings should be investigated immediately and all electrical lines should have proper earthing.

LPA statistics reveal that 40 per cent of fire-ravaged establishments never recover the resume business again and more than 90 per cent of fires are caused by human negligence or ignorance. It warns children to strike a match, not a fire. It urges people not to put too many plugs in one socket since overloading, can cause fire. Never use bared wire ends to connect an appliance to a socket urges the use of fuses of rated capacity, the replacement of frayed wires, broken plugsand switches and hanging clothes away from heating appliances.

Informal Style

It

It warns against the dangers of smoking in bed and says 'Where tere's a smoker, there can be fire". The LPA's Rhyme and Reason" booklets on the crossing code for children, the one on safety for forklift trucks, welding save energy now checklist for industries safe use of gas cylinders, a fire safety guide

for hotels and one for small establishments, packing cargo for loss prevention et al are veritable mines of information and give valuable trips to avert disaster.

Safety information charts on manual handling of materials the use of various types of fire extinguishers and the advantages of proper crating and palleting proper use of fibre-board containers preventing accidents in confines spaces, et al, too, are useful.

Particularly invaluable is the "'5-Minute Safety Talk" page in each quarterly publication of "Loss Prevention News" which gives straight off the cuff-no nonsence and sound commonsense information in "I'm only-sharing-this-with-you" converan informal and highly personalised sational style which has been liked by readers.

It urges drivers to do a double take to keep out of trouble in the face of sudden traffic hazards. It says why taking "one for the road" and "one for the gutter" can lend a drinker-driver into trouble and urges them to eat something and to drink a slowly and space out your drinks and drink within safe limits so that you are in complete control of your vehicle. It asks people to put their safety quotient to work for them to avoid accident or injury.

In it, the LPA says that accidents often cost for more than we realise. Damaged equipment is expensive to repair. Sometimes it can't be repaired and has to be scrapped. When a bad accident takes place nearly everyone stops work and tries to help the injured man and the company loses money when no work is done. Safety therefore pays. In the "sace your back" safety talk, the LPA urges you to choose a chair which provides firm support at the lower back, to use a firm matteress for sleeping and to avoid lying on the belly. Yes, sir the LPA is doing a great job promoting safety and loss prevention.