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operation on February 1, 1984. Specific requirements are laid down in the regulations as to the safety of workplaces and the means of access and exit.
The Metal-ware Industry Safety Sub-committee, the fifth industry-based, tripartite safety sub-committee, was formed in February under the Labour Advisory Board Committee on Industrial Safety and Accident Prevention. Sub-committees for the construction, textiles, shipbuilding and ship repairing, and plastics industries were set up between 1980-2. These sub-committees bring together representatives of employers, workers and the Labour Department to promote work safety in various industries.
The Factory Inspectorate, in collaboration with the Information Services Department, continued to expand its publicity programme for the promotion of industrial safety through extensive use of the media and other means. A revised version of Safety Extravaganza, an audio-visual presentation on industrial safety first shown in Hong Kong in 1982, was shown at Kowloon Bay in February and at an industrial safety and health exhibition in Tsim Sha Tsui in May.
The Labour Advisory Board Committee on Industrial Safety and Accident Prevention held a photographic competition for employees with industry safety as the main theme at the end of the year. Seminars were organised by the construction, plastics and ship- building and ship repairing industries safety sub-committees for workers in these industries. For the second time, the construction industry safety sub-committee organised a safety award scheme and the textiles industry safety sub-committee also organised a safety day to promote safety awareness among people engaged in that industry. The main committee also organised a seminar for top-level executives from industry on cost effectiveness in safety at work. The seminar was held in December, and the Chief Factory Inspector, United Kingdom, was the principal speaker.
Throughout the year, the Factory Inspectorate's Industrial Safety Training Centre provided safety training courses for workers from various industries and for technical students. In conjunction with the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the centre organised for the sixth successive year an evening course, and for the second time a part-time day-release programme, leading to a certificate of proficiency in industrial safety. In addition, the department assisted the Construction Industry Training Authority to run a construction safety officer course which started in August.
Pressure Equipment Division
The Pressure Equipment Division of the Labour Department enforces the requirements of the Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance and the Gasholders Examination Ordinance for ensuring the safe use and operation of all equipment covered by the ordinances. This includes all types of boilers, steam receivers, steam containers, air receivers, cement tanks on trucks and trailers and gasholders for storage of town gas. The division gives industry, the Fire Services and other government departments technical advice relating to pressure equipment, especially that covered by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance. It continues to provide short training courses for operators of electrically heated ironing boilers.
The division conducts examinations for boiler attendants for the issue of certificates of competency and approves qualified engineers in the private sector as appointed examiners under the Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance. These examiners are authorised to approve the material, design and fabrication techniques of all pressure equipment covered by the ordinance and they undertake periodic inspections of the equipment. The ordinance also gives approval to local companies as inspection authorities for inspection and certification of boilers and pressure receivers manufactured in Hong Kong.