§ 72. Mr. Reader Harrisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that members of fire brigades have been subjected to danger when attending fires at road crashes in which tanker lorries, carrying inflammable gases or liquids, are involved because there has been no indication on the lorry what its cargo was, and because the lorry driver has not known either; and if he will take steps to compel owners of such lorries to mark clearly thereon the nature of the contents, so that unnecessary risk can be avoided.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI am about to start discussions on this subject with the trade interests concerned.
§ 73. Mr. Reader Harrisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the terms of a technical 70W bulletin on fire-service matters sent by his Department to local fire authorities advising that firemen should wear civilian gas-masks as a protection against the risk of inhalation of smoke containing particles emitting alpha radiation in the vicinity of a fire or other incident involving radioactive materials whenever proper breathing apparatus is not available, in view of the fact that a person wearing a gas-mask in smoke is unable to detect the more lethal dangers occasioned by the presence of carbon-monoxide or the absence of oxygen.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe fact that respirators of the civilian duty pattern are no protection against carbon monoxide or the absence of oxygen is well known. It follows that firemen should not wear respirators in circumstances where the wearing of self-contained breathing apparatus would be necessary to provide protection against these dangers. In view, however, of the representations I have received on this subject, I am considering the issue of a further circular emphasising this.