KOLEJ KEMAHIRAN TINGGI MARA LEDANG

DIPLOMA IN BIOMEDICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

DIAGNOSTIC
MAY - OCT 2021
DUE 10062
ENGINEERING FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT

BRIGHT SPARKLERS FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS REPORT

CLASS D2B

LECTURER NAME:
THERESA MARION A/P B NAMBIRAJAN

STUDENTS NAME:
AMIRUL HAZIQ BIN BADROL HISHAM (12006)
MUHAMMAD HAIKAL HAZIQ BIN MOHD ALI (DD12018)
NURUL SHAZWANI BINTI HASHIM (DD12036)

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 Table of content
Parts Contents Page Number
1.0 Introduction 3-4
2.0 Method of Gathering Investigation 5
3.0 Findings and Discussion 5 - 10
4.0 Conclusion and Lessons 10 - 11
5.0 Individual Reflection 11
5.1 Reflection (AMIRUL HAZIQ) 11 - 13
5.2 Reflection (HAIKAL HAZIQ) 13 -16
5.3 Reflection (NURUL SHAZWANI) 16 - 18
6.0 References 18

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this report is to get to know the reasons behind Bright Sparklers
Fireworks factory. The place are in Kampong baru, Sungai Buloh, Selangor Darul
Ehsan was located in an agricultural area approximately 30 metres from a home
area in the Bright Sparklers Fireworks factory. From this tragedy, Malaysian people
called it as “Hiroshima Sungai Buloh”.

1.2 Background

In the world, the dangerous fireworks industry produces many disasters. The
disaster occurred when fireworks were produced or fireworks were used. The
disaster has caused numerous losses and losses. The fact that the Bright Sparklers
fireworks factory exploded in 1991 led Malaysia to a tragedy. His Majesty
immediately appointed a Royal Commission to examine the circumstances and
causes leading to the disaster. The Bright Sparkler tragedy was therefore thoroughly
investigated (RoyalCommission, 1991).

The authorities concerned, with which Bright Sparkler's activities were in direct
contact, carried out their job in part correctly. The laws and the monitoring of their
decisions and recommendations have not been properly enforced. This was due to
poor communications and an inadequate understanding of the rules and laws
concerned.

This was due to poor communications and an inadequate understanding of the rules
and laws concerned. Therefore, errors accumulated in an estimated incubation
period of 16 years from the start of the company to the day of the tragedy triggered.

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The tragedy caused the loss of 23 people, the serious wounds of 103, and the
destruction of the entire factory.

1.3 Method of investigation

Questionnaires were issued to Resident Lee Kwee Lan, 62 and Ng Han Loong, 34.

Resident Lee Kwee Lan, 62, was pregnant and about to deliver her third child when
the incident happened.

She said she was in the house with her husband, father and mother-in-law, as well
as her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. Out of nowhere, they had stones
flying into their house which was located five minutes away from the factory. They
didn't know what had happened. They sensed something was amiss when they
heard loud explosions. Then they immediately left the house and sought shelter at
her mother's house situated near where the KTMB station is now," she told the New
Straits Times.

Another resident, Ng Han Loong, 34, said he was playing with his friends and
siblings at home when he felt the ground shake and saw roof tiles crashing down.
They heard fireworks followed by an 'earthquake'. He also said There was a series of
explosions which started about 3pm and then stopped for a while before starting
again.

1.4 Scope

This report examines what occurred in the Bright Sparklers Fireworks factory in 1991
as well as those respondents. The reasons and the causes of it. Also the books,
journal articles and even the report were referred to.

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2.0 METHOD OF GATHERING INFORMATION

In order of gathering the information our group most of the time find the
informations in internet by searching it in google. We refer to the report shown in
google search by writing down what we can use and summarize the incidents,
findings and the causes why it happened as well as how many people died because
of the tragedies.

3.0 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

As the company’s poor management there is many reason why the Bright
sparklers fireworks factory tragedy happened. For example, the incident occurred as
a new product was being tested near dry chemicals. It is thought that on the event
day, about 3.45 p.m., fire sparks and smouldering case fragments flew in several
directions, some of which fell on the chemicals, causing a fire. Some fragments flew
into the canteen, which housed thousands of finished and semi-finished goods. Then,
as a result of the fire spreading, an explosion occurs. It caused the rockets to fly all
over the place, spreading the fire to other areas. There were finished items and
various sorts of chemicals housed in several buildings on the industrial grounds, as
well as two containers laden with finished products ready for transportation. When
the fire spreads quickly to nearby structures, a succession of explosions occur. The
entire factory was destroyed by fire and explosion. The failure to evaluate new
products resulted in a tragedy that killed 23 individuals and injured 103 people.

Next the quality control inspection is poor. The type of action of examining
products is referred to as inspection, whereas audit refers to the analysis of
production processes and/or systems. The quality inspector usually adheres to a
pre-determined checklist based on the product specifications. Before shipment to a
customer, inspected products can be components used in manufacture, semi-

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finished goods, or (most commonly) finished goods but In Bright Sparklers Fireworks
Factory case we can see the quality control inspection is poor such as there is no
audit and checking the buildings, on November 7, 1980, a massive fire out because
a female worker was killed, no report was sent to the factor and Machinery
Department. Other three incident was on May 15 1984, 3 August 1987, because of
the same case which was killed by fire accident. On May 15 1984 incident a fire
broke out at the plant. The female workers was killed, two buildings were destroyed,
and the total damage was estimated to be $378,00. This is so heartbreaking to hear,
in that case the business operation could not go any further because Land office tell
them to quit their manufacturing activities.

Moreover, poor documentation is documentation that lacks the sufficient

specificity to assign appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes which defines poor
documentation as something which lacks clarity, specificity, or completeness and of
overall poor quality. In many firms, records management is an often disregarded and
undervalued operation. While a solid, well-thought-out records management strategy
can help firms become more efficient and productive, poor records management can
result in cluttered and unintelligible workplaces, angry employees, and information
loss. Poor records administration may strangle a business, slowing efficiency,
consuming valuable time, and producing undue stress for staff. Record Nations
assists businesses experiencing the symptoms of poor records management in
locating remedies. While the problem Bright Sparklers Fireworks Factory face is their
first application to Ministry of Health to import Barium Nitrate was made to State
Pharmacy 27 April 1988. The Pharmacy Division asked the company to submit a
police permit. However the company challenged the request and disclosed that is
was not request before.

Furthermore, poor management design and structure creates a

befuddling jumble of contradictions with a confusion within positions, a lack of
coordination among functions, a failure to communicate ideas, and sluggish
decision-making add unnecessary complexity, stress, and conflict to managers' lives.
The authorities that have direct touch with the Bright Sparklers company's activities

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failed to enforce the law and follow through on the recommended actions. Also
warnings such as near misses, incidents, accidents, complaints, recommendations,
constructive criticism, and so on are not fully explored by the organization's
management.

Among causes of the tragedy is lack of safety management. Safety

management refers to the management of corporate activities and the application of
principles, frameworks, and processes in order to assist prevent accidents, injuries,
and other risks. A safety management system is a method for systematically
managing safety, which includes organizational structures, accountability, rules, and
procedures. Lack of safety management will bring disastrous such as impair health
and safety performance. Don't have a proper system in place will make your
management strategies much more ineffective. All of your employees do not
understanding of how to handle key activities, whether it’s reporting an incident,
responding to an issue, or working through a problem. When every worker is do not
clear about the precise protocol to follow and everyone uses the same approach
every time, your organization’s performance will worsen. It is related to fire and
explosion occurred on 2 December 1978. One employee died but no action was
taken neither by the Company’s management nor by the Authorities.

Lack of safety training is one of the most important subjects that every firm
should discuss with its employees is workplace safety. Workers must be reminded
frequently of the need of adhering to all safety policies and procedures, as well as
wearing the appropriate protective gear. Even when workers take all of the
necessary measures, accidents can still occur. However, a lack of safety training
might result in avoidable workplace injuries. When new employees are not properly
supervised, one of the most common blunders involving a lack of training happens.
When new employees are employed to conduct dangerous activities or work in a
dangerous region of the organization, this can be extremely harmful. They should be
properly supervised so that they do not become injured. Another blunder comes
when employees are not informed about the hazards that come with their profession.
When new construction workers are not cautioned about electrocution, fall dangers,

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and other serious hazards, this is an excellent example of this predicament. When
firms fail to preserve proper employee records, it can lead to safety concerns. Every
employee, for example, On July 18, 1989, a fire occurred. A female worker died.
Neither the Company's management nor the authorities took any action. On May 25,
1989, a periodic inspection was performed. It received a decent rating. Following that,
on November 19, 1990, a periodic examination was performed. It was discovered
that new machines had been installed without permission.

Every workplace has issues with its safety culture. With good reason
workplace cultures take a long time to develop and can be quickly destroyed. Three
variables can wreak havoc on safety cultures, leading to negative attitudes about
safety and greater opposition to safety programmes. Don’t provide resources for
success . It's common known that providing employees with the resources they need
to succeed leads to great workplace cultures. What is sometimes overlooked is that
this is true of all cultures, including safety cultures. Another resource that is often
underestimated is time. Being asked to work quicker is one of the leading causes of
injury. It's sometimes unavoidable, especially when manufacturing deadlines or rush
orders are approaching. If rushing is a regular occurrence, however, it sends the
message to workers that productivity is more essential than safety. It can also lead to
ongoing pressure to cut corners in order to complete tasks more quickly.These
elements, according to many safety experts, can all impair a safety culture. While it
may appear that these are the only safety resources that a company must provide to
its employees, don't overlook intangible safety resources such as training, skills, and
time. Lack of leadership commitment. When was the last time your company's
management attended a company-wide safety training session? If you tell
employees that a new safety effort is critical, but the company's highest-paid
employees don't show up, that sends a strong message to them. When was the last
time your company's leaders went through safety training as a whole? If you tell
employees that a new safety effort is critical, but the company's highest-paid
employees don't bother to go, it sends a powerful message to them. Safety feedback
problems. On January 19, 1977, the company filed an application to develop a
magazine in Sungai Buloh, Selangor. Copies were provided to the Fire Service
Department, which led to the Petaling Jaya Police Department failing to handle the

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application properly. It should have been filed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, and
the Fire Department should have submitted the plans to the local authorities for
approval.

Thirdly, the factory has been operating illegally since 1978, which is the second
cause of this problem. This problem has resulted in significant losses not only for
Kampung Baru Sungai Buloh as a result of the unhealthy pollution, but also for
nearby cities because of their unsafe operation. Illegal factories are extremely
dangerous because they did not follow the correct or government instructions,
making it unsafe to operate while also endangering residents nearby. Not only that,
but employee safety is put at risk due to the ongoing experiment with highly
explosive material inside the factory. The experiments performed in the factory were
not carried out by highly trained scientists or chemists, resulting in minor errors but
huge impact like a explosive chemicals spilled in the canteen of the factory causing
the start of the ‘‘Bright Sparklers Firework Tragedy’’.

This factory also violates the 'Explosion Act 1957' by importing illegal raw
materials, manufacturing, and exporting the product to the black market, putting the
buyer at risk because the materials have not been analysed or investigated by the
appropriate organisation. Violating this law is a violation of Malaysian law, and this
factory should be closed down and sued for their wrongdoing and endangering the
lives of those nearby. This law is critical because the factory lacks the necessary
licences to even open and operate. Because of the factory accident the federal
government's policy has shifted as a result of the factory accident. Due to the
fireworks ban, all Malaysian fireworks factories were closed.

To cut costs, the factory has poor security and safety measures in place, such as a
low number of fire extinguishers, no fire alarm, and no contact with nearby fire
stations. The absence of fire extinguishers at the time of the accident slowed the
fire's extinguishment and caused it to spread further into the surrounding area.
Because there is no fire alarm in the factory, the firefighter arrives late, causing the

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fire to spread even further, lasting approximately 2 hours. Each building should have
fire extinguishers and a fire alarm to help slow the spread of the fire and alert
firefighters to the specific location.

The factory also act illegally when employing underage employees. This act is
illegal, and children under the age of 16 will not be permitted to work, according to
Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran, and this law has been approved by the
Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara on December 19, 2018. Because of the
inexperience of the workers at the factory, underage employees are not well trained.
They also hire illegal immigrants because it is less expensive and will save them
money, but it is risky because they enter our country illegally.

The conclusion for this point is that working and operating illegally are not
beneficial; not only are they dangerous, but they also endanger the people in the
surrounding area. Following the law is much better because of the benefits it
provides, such as making the product and selling it to the market for the product to
be known, whereas working and operating illegally will only result in the product
being sent to the black market and rejected by local markets and other shops due to
a lack of government certification, resulting in a lower sell and profit.

4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS

The Sparklers Company's management and the authorities failed to learn

from the fire and explosion incidents, as well as the complaints labelled "warnings."
Also the management of the Sparklers Bhd. Sd. Company was the primary cause of
the sparkler tragedy by violating the country's rules, regulations, and laws, as well as
the standard codes. Next, the authorities that have direct touch with the company's
operations failed to enforce the law and follow through on the recommended actions.
Although the constant hazard source of fireworks has been removed in Malaysia,
fireworks hazards still arise on occasion during celebrations and national events.

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 While the lessons from the Bright Sparklers disaster is to respect and
adherence to country norms and laws are obligatory and essential for the legal
continuation of any organization's business. After that, they need to fulfil the
minimum safety criteria, the use of standard regulations and specifications
throughout design, installation, production, operation, testing, and maintenance,
among other things, is required and should be followed as well as understanding the
regulations, rules, and the authorities' implementation of the law is required to
regulate the country's organization. Furthermore, following through on the
recommended steps decisions are necessary from the organization's management
as well as the authorities to rectify any error and prevent the accumulation of errors
inside the organization. Additionally, warnings such as near misses, incidents,
accidents, complaints, recommendations, constructive critiques, and so on should be
thoroughly investigated and taken seriously by the organization's management at all
levels and the necessary authorities. Subsequently, safety should always be
prioritised during design, building, and operation, as well as safety training and
culture improvement. Next, The organization's management and relevant authorities
must ensure that inter-organizational and intra-organizational communications flow
through the appropriate channels at the appropriate times. Last but not least,
imported fireworks products must meet safety standards. Therefore, the quality of
imported fireworks products must be carefully monitored, for example, the United
States has a team of inspectors from the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory
(AFSL) in China to inspect the quality of fireworks products (maomagazin, 2002).

5.0 INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION

5.1 MEMBER 1 - (AMIRUL HAZIQ)

1.Introduction

The purpose of this reflection paper is to analyse the activity and

collaboration, involvement and management of our group, as well as myself as a
leader. This article also discusses my interactions with my team members, my

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strengths and weaknesses, and what I learned and how to improve my personality
as a member of this group.

2.My Collaboration and Contribution

After the lecturer assigned this project, my team and I began to contact
each other and create a group chat for smoother communication. As a leader, I was
continually watching their work, speaking with them, and maintaining our connection
so that our job could be completed as quickly as possible. So, as a leader, I assign
work to everyone, including myself, and then compile everything at the end of the
day. As a leader, I will take on the more difficult tasks in order to demonstrate myself
as good example for my group members. My interactions with my group members
are dynamic and sociable they reply fast when asked and they also very
knowledgeable in some subjects.

3.Team Collaboration and Interaction

To be honest, my team is one of the greatest I've ever worked with in

college. They are extremely encouraging when it comes to completing this report,
and they also discuss any problems or confusing instructions with me. Working with
them is a blessing since they constantly make jokes as we do our work, reducing
tension for our other group members. Our team has been working hard with each
other during the period allotted before submitting this report, and they have been
doing their best to finish it as fast as possible so that they may enjoy the time they
have left. Our bond grew deeper with each passing day, and at the end of the day,
we discovered that we are ideal for working as a team.

4.My Strength and Weakness

My Strength: I am the leader of this group. I provide ideas and give

instructions to other members of the group while also listening to their comments and
recommendations. At the same time, I am conducting research for this paper so that
the point given in this report are valid.

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My Weakness: Because of the online learning, I am unable to speak face to face
with other members of my group, making it less effective and causing a lot of stress
for me and my group.

5.What Have I Learn?

Things I've learned during group discussions and group work include the
importance of collaboration and communication in a team; without it, we won't be
able to accomplish our report in the period given by the lecturer. As a leader, I've
learned that it's critical to consider other group members' opinions, recommendations,
and ideas, because being a leader wasn't just giving orders but also listening to
others' opinions and progressing as a group.

6.Conclusion

My participation and contribution to the group benefited me since I learnt a

lot and certain things genuinely inspired me, such as engaging in group discussions,
taking on responsibilities. My ability as a leader to make quick decisions substantially
increased, and I learnt about the business structure for future success.Participating
in a group project that required me to create presentations, perform research, attend
an online class, and participate in a discussion also helped me with time
management..Following this group project, I gained a lot of knowledge, not only in
terms of abilities, but also in computer, excel, and other software. There were some
difficulties in getting started, but it eventually worked and my confidence grew. I'll
never forget the teamwork, as well as the friendships and interactions.

5.2 MEMBER 2 - (HAIKAL HAZIQ)

1. Introduction

This reflection paper intends to examine the activities of cooperation,

participation, and successful management as a team, as well as the areas in which I

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need to develop in order to be a more effective team. This paper also describe about
what did I did in my team group. I learned about the events that occurred in my
country's history.

2.My collaboration and contribution

From the beginning, I and my team start to choose what the topic for our
assignment . The assignment about the disaster that has happened in
Malaysia .Furthermore, we as a team has decides want to choose Bright Sparklers
Fireworks Factory Disaster in Sungai Buloh , Selangor. We have doing the research
about this topic then we gather all the information . Additionally, we choose the best
point of the information that our team gets. We only contact at Discord and
Whatsapp because the pandemic Covid-19 not end yet .

3.Team collaboration and interaction

I appreciate the effort that my team gave .Our friendship relations

stronger day by day.I and my team struggled to do the best for our assignment to
get the best mark. My team was bursting with energy, and each member brought a
unique perspective and experience to the table, allowing me and my teammates to
communicate, learn, and deal with opposing viewpoints.

4.My strengths and weaknesses

My strength: I like to do more research .I will gave the information that I get
to my team. That we can go further and didn’t get the wrong information.
My weaknesses: I bad at writing essay but my team support me and help me to do
essay correctly.

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5.What I have learnt?

I didn’t know that we have too bad disaster in Malaysia .I learned that this
disaster will effects people, environment and will change eyes of other country .I
learned how to do essay correctly .I also learnt do not stress because stress will
make our mind became blank .It will make our works become worse .This teamwork
has make me became more skillful and not to doing job alone.

6.How I have improved as an effective team member?

I was doubtful that I would be able to quickly assemble a team because I

bad in English.My team helped me to improve my English skills. That means I will be
confident and keep learning because the world is full of science.

7.General (other areas that you might think important)

In teamwork must have good discussion and all must doing their job .If
there a problem please tell your team. Otherwise, the assignment will not be the best.

8. Conclusion

My conclusion, benefits One of the most essential advantages of

teamwork is that it aids in the completion of tasks more quickly. Because a huge task
can be divided into smaller tasks, the task should be divided. Smaller tasks also take
less time and mental energy, so they don't squander your time at work or in class.
You will be a huge success in organising the event or activity for each team member.
Distributing work minimises individual burdens while simultaneously increasing

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accountability. History also one the main point that we has to became more careful
because don’t want history happen again.

5.3 Member 3 - (NURUL SHAZWANI)

1.Introduction

This reflection paper aims to the analysis of the activities or collaboration,

participation and effective management as being a team member and also the things
that I need to improve to be a effective team member. This paper also describes
about the interaction that I did with my team group and being part of a group what I
learnt significantly and how it improved my personality. It also analyses about what
else that is needed for a team leader and how the things can be made more effective
and what was the problems there.

2.My participation and contribution

From the beginning of the class, my team and I began to communicate with each
other via the following available methods: mobile, telephone, email, messenger,
social networking, and group meetings on weekday and weekend hours via Discord.
I was very active in contacts, so I kept track of every step, such as their results,
discussions with them, and maintaining relationships so that the group work could be
completed with their assistance. I also tried to follow the strategies with them to do
research on the other group's strategies, which helped me a lot in deciding the final
decision as a team member in my group work.

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3.Interaction and collaboration within the team

At this phase, we share, listen, discuss, make decisions, and work together to solve
challenges. More than that, we began meeting in discord to discuss the work and
how to go about it successfully. Despite the fact that we have never met in person,
we have kept it smooth and gentle for this report to go and how it may be done
properly. My colleagues and i talked about it in class, on WhatsApp, and on Discord.
During our discussion, each person addressed questions that they had and we
discussed how to come up with a solution for the specific question. We arrived at the
final decisive answer for the question based on the best discussion or personal
opinion. We've been together for more than a month because we used to be in a
group in semester one, so i'm familiar with them and they've been friendly to me up
until now. I also listen to and discuss with other members. When we meet in person
later, i hope our company can expand even faster than it is today.

4.What have I discovered?

I didn't expect to gain so much from them during our group discussions and group
work with team members from all backgrounds and perspectives. This knowledge
comes in handy in my daily life and future teamwork. I learned how to fit in with the
group project. The outcome of the game did not matter whether it was a loss or a win,
but the only thing that mattered was team spirit and friendship. Also, without them, i
could not finish this report. I am grateful to all of them for always being there for me
when i’m down and when i don't know what to do. At first, i couldn't write anything
and couldn't think clearly, but they guided me and kept me on course. This is why i
enjoy hanging out with them.

5.Conclusion

My contribution and involvement in the group was beneficial to me because i learned

a lot and some things truly inspired me, such as participating in a group, taking on

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tasks, and so on. My ability to make decisions quickly improved significantly, and i
learned about the group teamwork for future success. Participating in a group project
of creating presentations, conducting research, attending an online class, and
participating in a discussion helped me with time management as well. My
personality and basic communication abilities grew stronger with each passing day.
After this group project, i gained a lot of knowledge, not only in terms of abilities, but
also in computer, excel, and the desire to be a good future groupmate. There were
some problems in getting started, but it gradually worked and my self-confidence
improved when i’m with them. I will never forget the work spirit, as well as the
friendships and interaction.

6.0 REFERENCES

1. By Teoh Pei Ying, Lim Xin (August 4, 2020).New Straits Times, New Straits
Times Press (M) Bhd . Ying

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/08/613814/nst175-
bright-sparklers-tragedy

2. Bright Sparklers fire and explosions: the lessons learned Ibrahim

M. ShalufFakharul-razi National Defence University of Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, AhmadunSa’ari Mustapha, Aini Mat
SaidRashid Universiti Putra Malaysia Putrajaya, Selangor,
Malaysia Shari(August2002)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242336830_Bright_Spark
lers_fire_and_explosions_The_lessons_learned

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