WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1976
REGULATIONS TO ENSURE SAFER AND CLEANER WORKPLACES
*****
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED REGULATIONS TO ENSURE STRICTER PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE AND BETTER STANDARDS OF CLEANLINESS AND TIDINESS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.
MOVING A RESOLUTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1976, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. IAN PRICE, SAID THEY WERE OF "'A TIDYING-UP NATURE.'
HE SAID THE NEW REGULATION ON PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE WAS MORE PRECISE IN RELATION TO THE FIRE RESISTENT CHARACTERISTICS OF DOORS LEADING OUT OF REGISTRABLE WORKPLACES, AND THE NEW REQUIREMENTS WERE IN LINE WITH THE BUILDING (CONSTRUCTION) REGULATIONS 1975.
ON GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING, THE COMMISSIONER SAID AN AMENDMENT WAS MADE TO THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPAINTING AND VARNISHING OF REGISTRABLE WORKPLACES.
IN ORDER TO PREVENT ARGUMENTS AS TO WHEN SUCH DECORATION HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT, THERE WOULD BE A NEW REQUIREMENT FOR KEEPING THE APPROPRIATE RECORDS.
+TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY BAD HOUSEKEEPING,+ MR. PRICE SAID, +ALL PROPRIETORS ARE AT PRESENT REQUIRED, AS A SPECIAL PRECAUTION UNDER SECTION 7(4) OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE, TO MAINTAIN WALLS AND FLOORS IN GOOD REPAIR, KEEP FLOORS EVEN, "NON-SLIPPERY AND GENERALLY FREE FROM HAZARDS, AND KEEP GANGWAYS CLEAR.
+THEY ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO STORE AND STACK GOODS AND MATERIALS IN A PROPER MANNER.+
HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT BECAUSE 40 PERCENT OF ALL INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS WERE ATTRIBUTABLE TO STEPPING ON OR STRIKING AGAINST OBJECTS, FALLING OBJECTS OR HANDLING GOODS OR RAW MATERIALS, IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT A NEW REGULATION SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS RATHER THAN RELY ON SPECIAL PRECAUTION ORDERS AS AT PRESENT.
THE PRINCIPLES OF THESE REGULATIONS HAD BEEN UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD. THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES HAD ALSO BEEN CONSULTED AND HE FOUND THEM DESIRABLE, MR. PRICE ADDED.
/DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG