WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1970
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WORKIEN'S COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL
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A BILL TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO WORKERS SUFFERING FROM SILICOSIS AND ASBESTOS IS - DUST DISEASES OF THE LUNGS KNOWN AS PNEUMOCONICS IS WAS INTRODUCED 1. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT) (KO. 2) BILL 1973, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. NEIL HENDERSON, SAID THE BILL PROPOSED TO ADD PNEUMOCONIOS IS TO THE SCHEDULE OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.
HE SAID THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED FOR THE SETTING UP OF A COMPENSATION SCHEME WHICH WOULD COVER PEOPLE ALREADY KNOWN TO BE SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCO1,103 1S - WORKERS WHO WERE FOUND TO HAVE THE DISEASE AT THE TIME OF THE SCHEME'S INITIAL X-RAY EXAMINATION AND THOSE WHO SUBSEQUENTLY CONTRACTED THE DISEASE.
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THE GOVERMENT MOULD MAKE EX-GRATIA PAYNENTS TO THE FIRST GROUP, WHILE THE REST WOULD BE COMPERCATED THROUGH EMPLOYERS IN SPECIFIED INDUSTRIES PAYING A LEVY AND CONTRIBUTING TO A COMPULSORY INSURANCE FUND.
IT IS PROPOSED TO COMPENSATE WORKERS OR THE IR DEPENDANTS FOR PERMANENT TOTAL OR PARTIAL INCAPACITY OR DEATH RESULTING FROM PREUMOCON LOS IS CONTRACTED IN ANY SPECIFIED TRADE, INDUSTRY OR PROCESS.
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A. HENDERSON EXPLAINED THAT PNEUMCCONIOSIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE TERM COVERING A GROUP OF DISEASES OF THE LUNGS CAUSED BY THE KHAL TION OF A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIAL DUSTS SUCH AS FREE SILICA AND ASBESTOS DUSTS. CLICE THE DISEASE 13 PRESENT, THE CONDITION OF THE PATIENT 13 IRREVERSIBLE AND REMOVAL FROM EXPOSURE PAY ONLY SLOW DOWN PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE.
SILICOSIS AND ASBESTOS IS ARE THE ONLY TWO PNEUMOCONIOTIC DISEASES OF KNOWN CONCERT IN HONG KONG, AND THE BILL COVERS ONLY THESE TO. SILICOSIS IS MAINLY FOUND IN WORKERS IN QUARRIES, HIRING, TUNNELLING, CONSTRUCTION AND MASONRY WORK, WHILE ASIESTCS10
13 NORMALLY FOUND !! WORKERS 12 AN INDUSTRY OR PROCESS IN WHICH ASEESTOS IS WIDELY USED FOR SULATION PURPOSES AND FIREPROOF ING.
HE POINTED OUT THAT PNEUMOCONIOSIS HAS A LONG GESTATION PERIOD AND THERE IS VAR FABLE TIMING OF DISCOVERY OF THE DISEASE, ..IT THE RESULT THAT WORKERS MAY HAVE CHANGED JOBS AND EVEN
INDUSTRIES MANY TIMES BEFORE DIAGNOSIS OF THE CONDITION. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS NOT POSSIELE TO ASCERTAIN WHICH EMPLOYER „AS LIABLE.
SIDENT WE THE INSURANCE
THIS SITUATIES HAS LED THE CONVERSATI
KOUSTRY TO PROPOSE
SCREE
MR. HENDERSON .............