Self Storage Association Asia (SSAA), a trade association dedicated to supporting self-storage operators and suppliers in emerging markets along the Pacific Rim, has published a public-safety poster as part of a fire-prevention program for its members. The poster includes a list of activities and stored goods that are prohibited at self-storage facilities. It’s intended for members to display prominently at their facilities so tenants understand restrictions, according to a press release.

“Our outreach initiative aims at strengthening our members' commitment to fire prevention, which is an integral part of our accreditation program,” said Helen Ng, chair. “The association has developed a poster to illustrate activities and items that are prohibited at self-storage facilities across Asia. We encourage our members to put up the posters at their facilities so their customers are fully aware of what they can and cannot do or store.”

Although self-storage operators in Asia typically don’t require customers to divulge the items they are storing, tenants do have to declare they aren’t storing illegal or inflammable goods, the release stated.

“The poster helps to standardize communications across our members' facilities so their customers are clear about the prohibited activities and items from the outset,” Ng said. “We want both service providers and customers to have top-of-mind awareness of fire prevention and public-safety guidelines from the moment the customer decides to lease a storage space.”

The poster release comes about a month after two storage-facility fires in Hong Kong killed two firefighters and injured another. The blazes prompted government officials to suspend self-storage development inside industrial buildings, while agencies are conducting safety checks throughout the region. Intensified scrutiny on the self-storage industry has prompted speculation that new regulations could require customers to divulge their stored contents in some capacity.

Luigi La Tona, executive director, previously indicated the association would like to help the government shape any new regulations.

The SSAA intends to launch additional fire-prevention and public-safety guidelines during the fourth quarter as part of it member-accreditation program, the release stated.

Launched in 2014, SSAA supports members' interests to help grow the self-storage industry in Asia. Its annual tradeshow and conference event, Self Storage Expo Asia, was most recently held in Singapore, May 11-13.