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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1976
SAFER INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR WORKERS
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REGULATIONS MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WITH THE OBJECT OF BRINGING ABOUT SAFER INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR WORKERS WERE APPROVED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MOVING THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (GUARDING AND OPERATION OF MACHINERY) REGULATIONS 1976, MR. IAN PRICE, COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, POINTED OUT THAT ABOUT ONE THIRD OF ALL REPORTED INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS WERE CAUSED BY MACHINERY.
+PRESENT REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE FENCING OF MACHINERY HAVE PROVED UNSATISFACTORY BECAUSE THEIR PROVISIONS ARE COUCHED IN BROAD AND GENERAL TERMS, AND DANGEROUS PARTS ARE NOT DEFINED, HE EXPLAINED.
+THIS HAS GIVEN RISE TO THE NEED FOR THESE NEW SAFETY REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON GUARDING OF DANGEROUS MACHINERY, HE SAID.
THE NEW REGULATIONS SPECIFY NOT ONLY THE DANGEROUS PARTS OF MACHINERY OR PLANT WHICH NEED EFFECTIVE GUARDING, BUT ALSO FIVE METHODS OF GUARDING, FROM WHICH A PROPRIETOR CAN CHOOSE TO ADOPT ANY ONE OR A COMBINATION OF SEVERAL.
THE FIVE METHODS ARE: FIXED GUARD, INTERLOCKING GUARD, AUTOMATIC GUARD, TRIP GUARD AND TWO-HANDED CONTROL DEVICE.
MR. PRICE SAID THE NEW REGULATIONS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE PROVISION FOR THE FIRST TIME OF GUARDS FOR EACH AND EVERY MACHINE IN HONG KONG.
+AS THE LAW NOW STANDS,+ HE SAID, +ALL DANGEROUS PARTS OF MACHINES ARE REQUIRED TO BE SECURELY FENCED UNDER REGULATION 23 OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS REGULATIONS.+
MR. PRICE SUGGESTED THAT THE REGULATIONS SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED AT SOLEY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COST OF SECURE FENCING.
+AN ACCOUNTANT CAN READILY POINT TO THE COST OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES BUT HE IS NOT CONCERNED, UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE COST OF ACCIDENTS WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY THE ORIGINAL OUTLAY, HE SAID.
THE NEW REGULATIONS WOULD NOT BE BROUGHT INTO EFFECT UNTIL APRIL 1, 1977, MR. PRICE SAID, BECAUSE SOME EMPLOYERS MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS TO THEIR MACHINES TO PROVIDE THEM WITH PROPER GUARDING.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE DEPARTMENT'S FACTORY INSPECTORATE WOULD HELP EDUCATE EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS BY TRAINING AND BY PUBLICITY.
/MR. PRICE