I AM concerned about the problem of emergency exits on Hong Kong Ferry Company (HKF) ferries. Notices on doors leading to the upper deck remind crew to keep these exits unlocked while passengers are on board. However, further to a letter sent to the company querying the enforcement of this, the policy now seems to be to keep exits unlocked merely during the voyage, ignoring the 10 minutes turnaround time when passengers are on board and the ferry at berth.
On something as fundamental and simple as emergency exits, I find it worrying that the company does not seem to know its own regulations. More worrying is the apparent disregard for either regulation aboard the ferries, with crew members keeping two out of three doors locked whilst passengers are on board and the journey underway, to facilitate ticket collection.
Accidents often happen as a result of a minor infringement of important regulations in the name of convenience. If a fire occurred whilst the ferry was at berth, potentially around 250 passengers would have only one completely unobstructed door. Having a crew member nearby with a key for the other doors is a safeguard, but not having them locked in the first place seems a better one.
EVELINE POWELL Lantau