EMPLOYMENT
37
and inexpensive method of settling certain monetary claims arising from contracts of employment, the provisions of the Employment Ordinance, and certain other ordinances. Claims are determined by a legally qualified presiding officer sitting alone. The proceedings of the tribunal are conducted in an informal manner and generally in Cantonese.
During the period January 1 to December 31, 1974, the tribunal dealt with 1,869 cases involving employees as claimants and a further 39 cases in which the claims were initiated by employers. A total of $1,677,448 was awarded by presiding officers. Of the cases dealt with by the tribunal 91 per cent had been referred from the labour relations service of the Labour Department after unsuccessful conciliation attempts.
By the end of the year, the Labour Department had record of 86 formal joint consultative committees set up in 41 establishments. In addition, 56 firms are recorded as having some form of informal consultation. Most were working smoothly and achieving the object of bringing management and employees together to improve rela- tionships and to allow each to benefit from the experience of the other.
Similar committees established in certain government departments discussed a wide range of administrative, welfare and organisational problems. A total of 85 special visits were made during the year to employers who have shown positive interest in introducing joint consultation.
The factory inspectorate of the department's industry division is responsible, under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and its subsidiary legisla- tion, for the safety and health of workers in factories, building and engineering con- struction sites and other industrial undertakings. Advice and assistance were given to management on the guarding of dangerous parts of machinery, the adoption of safe working practices, and the general layout of factories to achieve safer working con- ditions.
The Quarries (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations which offer a greater degree of safety to workers operating at a height on the face or top of quarries, came into opera- tion on January 1.
The Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations which provide specifically for safety and health measures on construction sites came into operation on May 1. The depart- ment held regular informal discussions with representatives of the Building Contractors Association and the Society of Builders on ways and means of assisting contractors in implementing the safe practices required by the regulations.
On January 30, the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Lifting Appliances and Lifting Gear) Regulations were approved by the Legislative Council. Effective from November 1, the regulations provide for the testing and examination of lifting ap- pliances and lifting gear used in industrial undertakings other than construction sites.
During the year, the Industrial Safety Training Centre continued to provide basic and advanced safety training courses for workers and supervisors from industries and government departments, and to students from technical schools and vocational train- ing centres. A number of short courses on the safe use of abrasive wheels was added to the list of established courses on specific aspects of industrial safety.