WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1975
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MR. PRICE STRESSED THAT THE NEED TO CONTROL THE USE OF THESE WHEELS WAS SELF EVIDENT FROM THE INHERENT DANGERS.
AN EXPLANATORY GUIDE IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE ON THE NEW REGULATIONS WILL BE SENT TO EMPLOYERS IN DUE COURSE, HE SAID.
SINCE THE REGULATIONS ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE FROM NEXT YEAR, MR. PRICE SAID THERE IS AMPLE TIME FOR EMPLOYERS TO MEET THE NEW REQUIREMENTS AND, WHERE NECESSARY, TO SEND THEIR WORKERS TO THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE FOR THE TRAINING COURSES.
HE POINTED OUT THAT AT THE END OF 1974, IN ANTICIPATION OF THESE REGULATIONS, THE CENTRE HAD OFFERED 15 FREE ONE-DAY
ONLY COURSES, BUT THE RESPONSE FROM INDUSTRY WAS MINIMAL TWO COURSES COULD BE HELD WITH A MERE SEVEN PARTICIPANTS.
IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, HE SAID ANOTHER 35 COURSES HAD BEEN PLANNED AND HE HOPED THERE WOULD BE MUCH GREATER INTEREST.
+ INFORMATION ON THESE COURSES HAS BEEN CIRCULATED TO ALL INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS EMPLOYING 50 OR MORE WORKERS,+ HE SAID.
+LETTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES REQUESTING THESE ORGANISATIONS TO HELP PUBLICISE THESE COURSES AMONG THEIR MEMBERS.+
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY ALSO APPROVED THE RELATED FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) REGULATIONS 1975 WHICH STIPULATES THAT CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE MAIN REGULATIONS GENERALLY CONCERNING THE FENCING OF DANGEROUS OR MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY SHALL NOT APPLY TO ABRASIVE WHEELS -- WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY COVERED BY THE NEWLY- APPROVED REGULATIONS.
IN REPLY TO A POINT OF PRINCIPLE RAISED EARLIER BY DR.THE HON S.Y. CHUNG CONCERNING THE RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY PLACED ON A PROPRIETOR TO JUDGE THE COMPETENCY OF WORKERS MR. PRICE SAID THAT THIS HAD ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED IN HONG KONG IN OTHER SAFETY REGULATIONS SUCH AS THE CONSTRUCTION SITES SAFETY REGULATIONS, THE LIFTING APPLIANCES AND LIFTING GEAR REGULATIONS AND IN THE CARGO HANDLING REGULATIONS 6 (3).
REGARDING THE NEED FOR APPROPRIATE TRAINING COURSE, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS MORE SUITED FOR PROVIDING THE COURSES THAN THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL WHICH HAD NO FACILITIES AND DID NOT ENGAGE IN TRAINING ITSELF.
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/HE ADDED