SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1978
WORKERS URGED TO OBSERVE SAFETY MEASURES
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THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. DAVID LIN, TODAY URGED FACTORY PROPRIETORS AND WORKERS TO OBSERVE SAFETY REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS.
MR. LIN MADE THE APPEAL THIS EVENING AT THE JOINT GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE THREE Y.W.C.A. EVENING SCHOOLS, HELD AT THE Y.W.C.A. ANNE BLACK CENTRE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IN 1977, THERE WERE 49,854 CASES OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS. THESE ACCIDENTS NOT ONLY INTERRUPTED PRODUCTION BUT ALSO CAUSED PERMANENT DISABILITY OF WORKERS OR DEATH, BRINGING MISERY AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS TO THEIR DEPENDENTS.
MR. LIN ALSO SAID THAT, ACCORDING TO LABOUR DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATIONS, ABOUT 45 PER CENT OF THE OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS RESULTING IN DEATH WERE CAUSED PARTLY OR SOLELY BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE WORKERS.
REFERRING TO THE RECENT STRICTER ENFORCEMENT OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (GUARDING AND OPERATING OF MACHINERY) REGULATIONS BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, MR. LIN SAID THAT THE MAIN CAUSE OF INJURIES TO NEARLY 10,000 WORKERS BY POWER-DRIVEN MACHINES WAS DUE TO UNGUARDED OR IMPROPERLY GUARDED MACHINES.
HE POINTED OUT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL ENFORCE THE SAFETY REGULATIONS AND HAS CONDUCTED A SERIES OF PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS TO USE PROPERLY GUARDED MACHINES.
MR. LIN PARTICULARLY CALLED FOR THE CO-OPERATION OF WORKERS IN THE GARMENT AND FOOTWEAR INDUSTRIES TO USE SEWING MACHINES WITH GUARDS IN ORDER TO PREVENT INJURIES.
+AT THE INITIAL STAGE, SEWING MACHINE OPERATORS MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN GETTING USED TO SEWING MACHINES WITH GUARDS OR MAY EVEN HAVE LOWER PRODUCTION RATE AND AFFECT THEIR EARNINGS. BUT WITH PRACTICE FOR A SHORT WHILE, THEIR PRODUCTION RATE SHOULD
IMPROVE OR RETURN TO NORMAL.
+REMEMBER THAT ONE ACCIDENT WILL BRING REGRET FOR A WHOLE LIFE, FOR EXAMPLE, INJURED FINGERS NOT ONLY JEOPARDISE WORKERS' OPERATIONAL ABILITY FOR GOOD, BUT ALSO ADVERSELY AFFECT APPEARANCE, ESPECIALLY FOR FEMALE WORKERS,+ MR. LIN ADDED.
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