46
J
Industrial Health and Safety
135.
A consultant in occupational health has been appointed to head
the Industrial Health Division and to expand occupational health
services. It is primarily the duty of employers to provide adequate
medical, nursing and technical staff to deal with health hazards in the
workplace. But the Division will supervise and advise on what is being
done by employers.
136.
A Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Fund Board has now been set
up and has begun to make payments to workers found to be suffering
from silicosis.
Screening services for the early detection of silicosis
and asbestosis are now available to workers.
137.
The penalties provided in the five most important sets of
safety regulations under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings
Ordinance have been increased substantially. Similar increases will be
?
made in the remaining 14 sets of regulations this session.
138.
Further regulations on the safe use of electricity, protection
of workers' hearing and the employment of safety officers and safety
supervisors in hazardous industries will be made shortly.
139.
The Industrial Safety Training Centre has been conducting a
great variety of training courses, and a one-year evening course for
safety officers has been organised in conjunction with the Polytechnic.
Industrial safety has been and will continue to be promoted
140.
by the Factory Inspectorate and through an ambitious and imaginative
publicity programme. Nevertheless, I am attracted by Sir S.Y., Chung's
a Council for Occupational Safety suggestion of an Industrial Sefoty Council to add impetus to our efforts,
and I have asked for it to be studied urgently.
THE PUBLIC