may give
give rise to tumour of the urinary tract have been banned under the and Industrial Undertakings (Carcinogenic Regulations, which were approved by the Council on 12 November 1986. They may nevertheless be present in very low concentrations in chemicals ΟΙ dyestuffs which will remain in use. Other proven or suspected causal agents
controlled under the Regulations and will remain in use, albeit subject to safeguards, while others again are not as yet banned or controlled either here or in the leading industrialised countries. To ensure therefore that compensation is paid to victims or the dependents of victims who suffer incapacity death as a result of work involving exposure to such substances, it is proposed to add tumour of the urinary tract to the list of prescribed occupational diseases in the Second Schedule.
O
-
5
The Order at the Annex would make the necessary addition to the Schedule in accordance with the provisions of section 35 of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance.
Consultation
6
The Accident Insurance Association of Hong Kong has been consulted and agrees
agrees in principle that tumour of the urinary tract should be included in the Second Schedule, although it has reservations on the
on the operative date of the amendment. However, as has been the practice with other occupational diseases which develop over a long period of time (20 years in the present case), it is proposed to make compensation available in any case diagnosed after addition of the disease to the Schedule.
Economic implications
7
The occurrence of the disease in Hong Kong is rare. About 450 cases of tumour of the bladder are diagnosed each year, but it is estimated that only about one per cent of these cases may be occupation-related.
The inclusion of this disease in the Second Schedule should not therefore lead to any appreciable increase in compensation insurance premia or, accordingly, costs to the employer.
RESTRICTED A÷÷÷