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THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1980
THE CORONER FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT ALL LOCAL CRAFT WITH BUOYANCY OR SIMILAR COMPARTMENTS SHOULD HAVE A NOTICE WARNING OF THE EXTREME DANGER OF ENTERING SUCH COMPARTMENTS WITHOUT TAKING ALL PROPER PRECAUTIONS PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON BOARD.
A BOOKLET - SAFETY GUIDE TO WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES PRODUCED BY THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FROM BRANCH OFFICES AND THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
LABOUR PROSECUTIONS NET $3.1 MILLION IN FINES
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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TOOK OUT 4 411 PROSECUTIONS AGAINST EMPLOYERS FOR VIOLATING LABOUR LEGISLATION, RESULTING IN FINES OF MORE THAN $3.1 MILLION, DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.
THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES WERE RELATED TO BREACHES OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND ITS VARIOUS SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS, INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS.
AMONG THEM, 2 049 CASES CONCERNED BREACHES OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY REGULATIONS AND THE FINES AMOUNTED TO $1 974 145.
OF THESE CASES, 1 322 (WITH $1 131 400 IN FINES) WERE FOR BREACHES OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (GUARDING AND OPERATION OF MACHINERY) REGULATIONS AND 429 (WITH $590 470 IN FINES) WERE FOR BREACHES OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS.
OFFENCES RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS ACCOUNTED FOR 2 156 CASES WITH FINES TOTALLING $988 590.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THE PROSECUTIONS WERE MAINLY THE RESULT OF ACTION TAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT'S FACTORY INSPECTORATE AND THE LABOUR INSPECTORATE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT LABOUR LEGISLATION AIMED AT SAFEGUARDING EMPLOYEES AT WORK AND PROTECTING THE WELFARE OF WOMEN AND YOUNG WORKERS.
HOWEVER, IT TOOK MORE THAN LEGISLATION TO STAMP OUT OFFENCES AND CO-OPERATION WAS NEEDED FROM ALL CONCERNED TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, HE ADDED.
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