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Thursday, April 26, 1973
He said that an accident prevention programme would not be successful
unless managements were prepared to take the lead.
He stressed that managements had a legal and moral responsibility
to provide a safe workplace for their employees.
As a first step, he said, managements should issue a policy statement
specifying that accident prevention was meant for the well being of all concerned.
"Safety Committees comprising representatives of workers and managements
would serve a useful platform for the exchange of ideas," he added.
He said that another important facet of accident prevention was the
appointment of Industrial Safety Officers on the factory premises.
Their role was to help reduce industrial hazards. They were to
inspect the workplaces regularly; to identify and remove unsafe machinery
and unhealthy working conditions and to make suggestions to managements as to
the measures required to prevent accidents from occurring.
He said that an Industrial Safety Officer was a prominent figure in
the field of industrial safety.
"It is indeed a sad reflection on the local industrialist that only
four out of 20,000 industrial undertakings considered it desirable to appoint
Safety Officers on a full-time basis," he said,
He further pointed out that accident prevention required managements'
determined effort.
"Do not let any set-back affect your determination". he said, "Officers
of the Industrial Safety Training Centre are always available to help you with
your technical problems."
In conclusion, Mr. Szeto praised those managements and government
departments which had taken advantage of the training course for Safety Officers.
He also congratulated those who had successfully completed the course and presented
each of them a diploma.
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