CHE 680

LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS FOR

ENGINEERS
CASE STUDIES BRIGHT SPARKLERS FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS

Prepared for: PROF. IR. DR. NADIAHNOR MD YUSOF

Prepared by:

NAMES STUDENT ID
NUR ALLIENA BT SHARIF 2016249806
NUR MUNIRAH BT AHMAD RIZAL 2016249912
SITI ZAINAB BINTI CHE MAT 2016250028
MUHAMMAD IZZAIRY IZNY BIN 2016249948
IBRAHIM
NUR FATIHAH BT ABDUL RAHMAN 2016249808
MOHD AMIRRUSYAIDI BIN MAZLAN 2016238956
 There were various ethical issues or dilemmas in Malaysia. For example there was a
tragedy due to manufacturing of fireworks. Many disasters occur due to manufacturing and use of
fireworks. The fireworks industry was one of a dangerous business. In Malaysia about 28 years
ago, there was a tragedy of fire and explosion when The Bright Sparklers fireworks factory
exploded in 1991. The incident occur on 7 May 1991. The Bright Sparklers fireworks factory was
located at Kampong Baru , Sungai Buloh , Selangor Darul Ehsan in an agriculture area where
about 30ft away from a residential area. The Bright Sparklers fireworks factory started
manufacturing in 1974 in rented premises where was at Kampung Cheras Baru and then purchased
lands in Sungai Buloh , Selangor on 19 January 1977 . The Bright Sparklers fireworks factory
started to manufacture rockets and Fountains at 1978.

The incident occur when a new product was being tested close to chemicals which had
been dried. On the incident day around 3.45 p.m., it is believed that fire sparks and smouldering
casing fragments flew in many directions and some falling on the chemicals which causing a fire.
Some fragments flew towards the inside of the canteen where it contained thousands of finished
and semi-finished products. Then, causing an explosion occur due to fire spread. It caused the
rockets to fly everywhere and spreading the fire to other places. There were finished products and
various types of chemicals being stored in various buildings within the factory premises also, it
was indicated that there were two containers loaded with finished products ready for shipment. A
series of explosions occur when the fire rapidly spread to other buildings. The fire and explosion
destroyed the entire factory (Ibrahim M. Shaluf , Fakharul-razi Ahmadun, Sa’ari Mustapha , Aini
Mat Said, Rashid Sharif , 2002 ).

The unsuccessful testing of new products triggered the tragedy where killed twenty three
people and one hundred and three others was injured (The Star, 2006). Among the injured was one
who was crippled. Other than that, some of properties including residential and factory buildings
surrounding it were damaged due to this incident. The destroyed factories were sawmills, food
coloring, animal, plant and freecracker. (Aslam Asraf, 2015).There were many immediate causes
in this incident. One of the immediate causes was testing the new products of fireworks in places
that near to chemicals which were being dried. Next, fragments and rockets were flying in different
directions and cause explosion in canteen. In canteen, there were storage of finished and semi-
finished products. Besides that, the storage of chemicals finished product in every building made
a series of explosion on that day. Even from the big explosion occurred, there are few events
already happened, complaints have been made but the company did not concern at all about the
complains.

In this case, Royal Commission was appointed by His Majesty to investigate the causes
and the conditions which led to the disaster. Therefore, the Bright Sparkler's tragedy has been
investigated in detail (Royal Commission, 1991).The findings from the inquiry report show that
the company management breached the statutory regulations and rules of the country through the
installation of the firework factory on agricultural land and operating the factory without
manufacturing license on many occasions, importing the raw materials without an authorization
or license, storing of the explosive materials without license, and exporting the fireworks products
without license. The relevant authorities which had direct contact with the activities of the Bright
Sparkler's Company partially carried out their job correctly. They did not enforce the relevant laws
and the following-up of their decisions and recommendations properly. This was due to the poor
communications and lack of properly understanding of the relevant applicable rules and laws.

Malaysia experience a tragedy due to manufacturing of fireworks when the Bright Sparklers
fireworks factory exploded in 1991. Immediately a royal commission was appointed by His
Majesty to investigate the causes and the conditions which led to the disaster. Therefore the bright
sparklers tragedy has been investigated in detail (Royal Commission, 1991). The discoveries from
the request report demonstrate that the organization broke the statutory guidelines and principles
of the nation through the establishment of the firework plant on rural land, and working the
industrial facility without manufacturing license, on numerous events, bringing in the raw
materials without an approval or permit, putting away of the hazardous materials without permit,
and sending out the fireworks items without permit. Where they can be convicted in section 33 (1)
Power to prohibit or control licensed persons from discharging,etc., of wastes in certain
circumstances. Which Any person who contravenes the notice issued under subsection (1) shall be
guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit or to
imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both and to a further fine not exceeding
one thousand ringgit a day for every day that the offence is continued after service on him of the
notice specified in subsection (1). The Bright Sparklers' disaster was an aftereffect of an
aggregation of mistakes in a period assessed to be 16 years. The errors aggregated because of the
breaking of the statutory guidelines, rules, laws and systems by the Sparklers Company's
administration. Likewise the errors aggregated because of absence of correspondence between the
Police Petaling Jaya and the FIDA, because of absence of comprehension of the applicable laws
by the traditions division, absence of following-up by the examination body, the branch of
hardware and processing plant, and absence of implementation of law by the Police Petaling Jaya.
The examination expert did not profit by the Bhopal disaster. The organization and the specialist
neglected to gain from the admonitions, for example, the flame, fire-blast mishaps and from the
protests. Subsequently, fireworks fabricating was prohibited in the country.

If we look through from the start of this company, they made an application to register the
company on 22nd November 1973. They also made an application to Federal Industry Development
Authority (FIDA) on 23rd June to manufacture fireworks. FIDA then wrote to Ministry of Trade
and industry and Police Negara for their comments. On top of that they only received reply from
Minister of Trade on approval to build the company on 23th February 1974 in Sungai Way,
Selangor. But no response given from the Police Negara. Instead they started to manufacturing in
1974 in rented premises in Kampung Cheras baru. In 1977 the company made an application to
Police Petaling Jaya to build magazine where the copies were sent to Fire Service Department. In
fact the Police Petaling Jaya did not process the application very well where it should have
submitted to Ministry of Home Affairs. Same goes to Fire service department. They should
submitted the plans to the local authority for their competence. After several inspection FSD
approved the magazines on 27th December 1977 and playing advisory role to the local authority.
Therefore the company constructed and used the magazine without approval which it did not
comply with the Explosive Act 1957. What we can see is that the company is too lenient of some
of the country's legal laws early in the company's establishment. Where they should not take too
much light because the company is involved in the processing of dangerous explosives.

Before the big disaster happened in 1991 there were several cases involving death and some
of the things that this company did not comply with. For example, in 1978 fire and explosion
occurred which cause one fatality. But no action was taken neither by the Company’s management
nor by the Authorities. They were too easy to play with life. Where was the existing law? Why no
action was taken. Although the incident was small but we can see that this company were to lenient
on some of the enforce law which they might violate section 5 (1) (b) (bb), occupational safety
and health regulations (notification of accident, hazardous occurrence, occupational poisoning and
occupational illness) 2004, Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994. After the incident the
company has submitted an application to install a new machine to Factory and Machinery
department, it was approved and they made first statuary inspection on 4th December 1979. The
result was fair to all items except fencing of the machinery. The company was given two weeks to
correct the action. But they did not follow up the recommended action which a year later on 7 th
November 1980 fire accident occurred and one female worker lost her life. The company did not
make any report regarding to the incident to the authorities and Factor and Machinery Department.
In connection of the incident the Majlis Daerah Petaling Jaya rejected the renewal license
application from the company. As they feel that the company is not able to comply with existing
laws. To the point where the biggest incidence of the plant exploded and burned. Which caused
the death and destruction of the plant. Therefore the Malaysian government prohibits any fireworks
processing which is included in the explosives section. Where Section 4(2) of the Explosives Act
1957 - Power to prohibit the manufacture, possession or importation of specially dangerous
explosives. Which any person manufacturing, possessing or importing any explosive in
contravention of a notification issued under this section shall, on conviction, be liable to
imprisonment for five years, or to a fine of ten thousand ringgit, or to both. The Bright Sparklers
was also punished under the Section 6 of the Explosives Act 1957 - Penalty for causing explosion
likely to endanger life or property: where Any person who unlawfully and maliciously causes by
any explosive an explosion of a nature likely to endanger life or to cause serious injury to property
shall, whether any injury to person or property has been actually caused or not, be liable, on
conviction, to imprisonment for seven years, or to a fine of ten thousand ringgit, or to both.

After 15 years the case close where the 118 people, who sued the Government after they lost
their loved ones, suffered injuries and damage to their property in the incident, received a lump
sum of RM30,000 from Chin Kong Hin, who was a director of Bright Sparklers Sdn Bhd, which
went out of business soon after the tragedy. (Star, 2006). However, no one was ever prosecuted
in relation to the personal injuries/ property damage suffered or the loss of lives of the factory
workers, neighbouring residents, passers-by, family and friends who had rushed to the site to help
after they heard the first blast and saw the billowing smoke.
 From these incidents, there must be a lot of moral values that can be considered in order to
serve the good vibe and environment for our next generation. Every disaster happened because of
the wrong behavior of the small people that had affected a lot of people who did not knowing
nothing and innocent. First of all, ‘moral’ means thing that related with skill to decide the right
and wrong of behavior that can be accepted by citizen that stated from “Webster New World
Dictionary of American Language” (R. Iain Salatiga). As we know that many disaster had occurred
from fireworks industry. The disasters result in many people killed and injured and also high
damage losses. This accident will become the nightmare of the public that face it.

The first moral value that we have to consider is every activity or works must comply with
the rules in order to maintain our live in good way and safe to survive. The Majesty had appointed
the Royal Commission to investigate the case of Bright Sparkles fireworks factory exploded in
detail about the causes and what condition that had led to the disaster. The injury report had shown
that the company management had breached the regulation of statutory and rule of the country by
installing the factory on the agriculture land and also operating the factory without a manufacturing
license. Other than that, the company also imported the raw material without the authorization or
illegally (Ibrahim M. Shaluf Fakharul-razi Ahmadun Sa'ari Mustapha Aini Mat Said and Rashid
Sharif, 2002). The company reported to be storing the explosive material and exporting the
fireworks product without following the standard rule that had been set base on its criteria. This
situation had resulting in explosion that many casualties of fatalities were estimated to be 23 died
, 103 badly injured , 50 rescuer have breathing problem in Sungei Buloh disaster (Aslam Asyraf,
2016).

Besides, there was a lack of effective communication and understanding that had led to the
disaster of explosion to take place. In this accident, even though the authority had a direct contact
with the activity of the Bright Sparkle company but, they did not enforce the correct laws and
recommend a proper one about the following-up decision (Ibrahim M. Shaluf Fakharul-razi
Ahmadun Sa'ari Mustapha Aini Mat Said and Rashid Sharif, 2002). The lack of communication
and also apathy of the authority in order to educate the workers with the relevant applicable rules
and laws were become one of the reasons on how the disaster can be happen. This firework
explosion also had to be called the Hiroshima Malaysia. The workers of the company should well-
educated regardless on safety in order to overcome such that accident from occurred. Two ways
communication is important in order to ensure that the both side understand what the need and
knows their roles to play on. But in this case, the workers did not play their own rule. They don’t
even know their own responsibility. They do not communicate well to solve the triggered events
before the explosion occurred.

Next, the company should explain in detail about the important of safety at the workplace
and also the safety of the public that surround them. The workers do not well-educated on safety
education and also do not care about the safety of the surrounding that fulfilled with the living
things such as human being and also animals. They take care of safety on surrounding not
seriously. The company just insecure about the profit that they had to be achieved other than take
care of others live. There were two explosion occurred but, after the second explosion occurred,
the search and rescued were continued, and unfortunately, the rain poured for about one hour that
cause the new threat when the chemical reaction take place causes poisonous gas release on the
surrounding. The company should consider on how to manage their wasted and also followed the
required procedure of safety to ensure the safeness to others. The worker should be trained or
undergo safety training and be well-prepared with the uncertainty that will be happened. This is
what the meaning of proverb ‘prevention is better than cure’ is.

The other moral that can be learnt from the huge accident is safety is the first priority. A
lot of company will be very insecure about the profitable that they would earn in order to keep
survive on the market place. As we know that fireworks are very demanding product even though
only at certain seasons. People that surround the company should be very alert and have
responsibility to take action if the company do not take the procedure of the safety properly. They
should make a report about the violation of the rules that the company had done. Then, the
authority also must play their rules wisely by taking that report seriously in order to overcome the
huge accident from occurring. The public should be aware with their surrounding condition and
also have to take a precaution step in order to prevent from involving in accident. The authority
that take part in rescue must fast in their action because delayed will affected others live. On the
day before the explosion happen, the new product had just been tested inside the factory and near
to the dried chemical. The fragment flew in many directions, while some fragment flew at the
canteen that contain finished and semi-finished product. Then, the fire spread causing an
explosion. This is how the explosion happened when the tested activity did not doing in a good
way and never consider the side effect of others safeness.

Moving on to the next aspects that we use to hear which is ethic. We might have heard this
word thousand times already during public speeches or whenever we attended any short courses
or seminar, be it related to the government or even in the private sectors in Malaysia. Little did we
realize the real meaning behind this word is truly what we should bear in our mind and start
practicing it to be a much proper, decent Malaysian. Ethics is derived from the Greek word, ethos
which carries the meaning of the character, spirit and attitudes of group of people or culture
(Khalidah et al., 2014; Rahman, 2013). This can be explained more as a set of principles that
contains behavioral codes to determine the right and wrong act and assess whether they are just or
fair from different perspectives be it individually, organizational or social perspective .On the other
hand, referring to narrowing to the part of Islamic Principles of Business Organization and
Management book written by Hanafi and Hamid Salam, ethics may be defined as model behavior
that should be followed in order to harmonize human relationship an minimize abuse and work for
the welfare of society (Faridi, 1997). We can now clearly see how ethics might play a great role in
ensure the prosperity of our life.

Referring to a real life scenario of the Bright Sparklers 1991 incident, there is a lot of ethical
problems that we can look into that actually contributed to be cause of the incident to happen.
Ethics in life existed for a greater cause which one of them is to solve moral problems resulted
from many choices where individuals is require to ponder for a while before committing his next
act. During this carefully thinking process, many questions will be asked to himself regarding what
is the good and bad, pros and cons of his action and even what is right and wrong prior to make an
decision even when there would be so many options and choices lies ahead of him . This is where
knowledge and awareness on ethics will be implement for the best decision making. When a
decision is made, that person is fully responsible for it. With such a great responsibilities, one
should not practice any unethical behavior when working, for example; negligence that closely
related to the Bright Sparklers 1991 incident. Negligence of the worker in charge that ignored the
safety instructions and did not do the firework testing at the designated place. When testing gone
wrong, thus creating series of fatal explosions that causes the loss of 86 innocent lives.
 Meanwhile in business field, a company should be properly equipped and established which
meets all safety requirements. Poor administration of the Bright Sparklers Sdn. Bhd. in providing
proper workplace for their business was an unethical act that may seems like a trivial matter but
little that they know their act is the starting of their doom. These acts are clearly wrong and
highlighting how crucial it is to comprehend and enact the true ethics in Malaysia. With ethics, we
are able to differentiate between good and bad, either right or wrong. This is important as their act
would be a reflection on their selves. Role of ethics here help in making better choices by
considering right and how the decision affects others surrounding us. (Zuehlke, 2005).

In this shocking rapid growth of nowadays modern world, rules and regulations are not that
scary enough for the people to really abide by the law. Ethics is seen to help in securing and
safeguarding the society from breaking rules and doing any wrong act. During the investigations
of the incident, the factory was reported to be so old and in dire state that required renovations. It
also did not have any proper safety precautions with the lack of fire equipment. On top of that, the
company also recruited illegal workers which is clearly breaking the law. Dealing with chemicals
and producing firecrackers that is clearly in a high risk of catching fire, well trained workers should
be recruited with a proper safety training as well instead of those illegal workers that surely know
nothing regarding safety precautions. In this case, the law would be impossible to stop every single
wrong act from happening but only ethics have the higher chance to a stop to it. Lawyers and
public interest litigations may not be a great deal to the society but the society will be controlled
and secured by ethical and moral rules instead. Ethics may stop organizations from harming the
society and environment by really abiding to the law and fully responsible with their act. With all
these elaborated above, we can never deny ethics in our life and how salient it is to have an ethical
society that is responsible to their act so that they would not dare to do anything unethical that
would cause any harm as it would not just affecting one person but also causes destructions to the
environment.

In simple words we can say that the fireworks industry is a dangerous business. The
manufacturing and the use of fireworks tend to lead many disasters to occur. There are many
factors that contribute to this Bright Sparkler's tragedy in year 1991. A decision was made not to
allow the installing of any fireworks factory in Malaysia after 23 people lost their lives, 103 were
seriously injured and the entire factory was destroyed in the disasters. It was a turning point for all
kind of industries in Malaysia to concern about practicing safety and health environment in
workplace. We can prevent or at least reduce the impact of the explosion if we put into
consideration to follow and obey the etiquette and guidelines in our working procedure. One of
the causes of this tragedy is management of this company break the statutory regulation of National
Land use. The factory was located on a agricultural land which we can say that the land is unstable.
To encounter this thing, the management should have follow the regulation of National Land use
or at least discuss with particular related authorities before they decided to build the factory on that
land.

Next, the management must comply with the standards in the design of the buildings. This
point is also related to the consequences of the company did not follow in many times with the
statutory manufacturing regulations by operating the factory without license. We can say that there
is no such inspection and building design approval from particular authorities for this company.
Then, they tend to make their own design of building by following their satisfaction and they may
only think on how to earn profit faster only without considering and prioritizing the safety figures
needed in that building. In this building designing case, we may wonder on how they manage to
locate the canteen near to the firework manufacturing workplace which then the fire from the
workplace spread to the canteen and cause more explosion.

Other than that, the management should have a better or good planning in testing a new
product. The fire triggered when a new product was being tested close to chemical which had been
dried. The results from the test will produce fragments of fire sparks falling on the chemical
causing fire and explosion. In this case, the chemical which had been dried should have not located
in the new product testing section. The management should plan to conduct the test in an isolated
location and make sure there is no product or any materials which is not related in carried out the
test. The management is also recommended to make a plan in controlling the outcome of the test
so that it will not harm the surrounding atmosphere.

One of the etiquettes they must follow is they should have approval and license in storing
explosive materials. If they have license in storing particular explosive materials they will have
knowledge or advised on how to handle the explosive materials. If they have the license they must
have undergo inspection and they may also have been supervised by the assessor on safety
measures when handling or in keeping the explosive materials. If they obey the rules, then they
will be no such thing the storage of dried chemical product is in the testing of new product section.
They have their own placement and storage.

Next, all the company members must undergo safety training. In safety training they will
expose on how to manage and what action to be taken when it comes to any hazard including the
fire safety. They will be inform and introduce on how to use the fire extinguisher according to type
of fire type and condition. They also will concern and aware on the purpose of the fire drill session.
When safety is put into consideration in the first place, the management may put aside a budget in
order to improve the safety figures in any parts of one factory. After all the employees and the
management have participate and undergo the safety training, they will be well known on how to
safe their own self or maybe reduce the impact when it comes to any disasters. The workers also
will practicing the proper Safety Operating Procedure (SOP) in the workplace.

The testing of the new product must be monitor and have the limitation. They should make
a schedule on the suitable time when testing the new product. To limit the fire sparks or any
fragment that can trigger the fire and explosion, they are recommended to estimate the distance of
the sparks spread so that they can make a special barriers in order to limit the fragments from
spread to other surrounding atmosphere. The one that handling the test must be a competence
person and have approval from particular authorities to do so. The people who are in charge in
conducting the test must wear a proper attire. This is to ensure the safety of that person so that we
can prevent and reduce the impact from the test.

As a conclusion, this incident could be avoided from happening. The bright sparkles been
worst history happened in our country. This tragedy give huge impact to all the workers which
give them awareness and also the important to have experience in safety and health in the
workplace. The management of the Sparklers Company and the authorities failed to learn from
the fire and explosion accidents and the complaints warning. The management of the company
basically the main cause of the accident. The authorities who have direct contact with the
company’s activities failed to enforce the law and to follow-up the recommended actions. We
can see that the Sparklers Company have a poor organization structure and also company’s
management. They also failed to plan. Miscommunication also one of the causes of this tragedy.
This is happening because they are lack of knowledge, understanding and also decision. There
are some recommendations that can be suggest to avoid this accident from happening. Firstly, the
company need to understand the regulations, rules and also the enforcement of the law by the
authorities. Next, complaints reported should be taken seriously and should be investigated
seriously. Other than that safety should be the top priority during the design, construction and
also operation as well as the safety training. Furthermore, the imported fireworks products
relevant legislations should be enforced at all locations. The organization’s management and the
related authorities should ensure that the inter-organizational and intra-organizational
communications is in the right channel and at the right time.

Lesson that can be learned from this incident are respect, adherence and follow country’s
regulations, laws are obligatory and of paramount necessity for the continuation of any
organization’s business legally. Also when there are triggering events (immediate cause), the
workers should look up for the solution and try to stop from the fire explosion happened. There
are few rules for the company need to be obey before conducting experiment for their new
product and also before the big explosion occurred there are some events that already occurred
before which are fire accident where a few female workers died and two buildings were burnt but
still no actions were taken from that company’s management nor by the authorities. We can
conclude that the one that should be blame is the organization of the company. Which party
wants to do business should take precautionary measures in every aspect. Besides that they have
to comply with every act and law set by the Malaysian government to avoid such an incident
again.
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