TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1980
EMPLOYMENT OF QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFICERS
MAY BE MADE COMPULSORY
****
LEGISLATION MAY BE INTRODUCED TO REQUIRE THE COMPULSORY EMPLOYMENT OF QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFICERS IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, WITH A SIZEABLE WORK-FORCE AND IN NOTORIOUSLY HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIES.
THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR J.C.A. HAMMOND STATED THIS TONIGHT (TUESDAY) WHEN HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFICERS COURSE AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC.
+IF SUCH LEGISLATION IS ENACTED, A LARGE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFICERS WILL BE REQUIRED AND I AM GLAD TO LEARN THAT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC HAS ADDED ONE MORE CLASS TO THIS COURSE, HE SAID.
MR HAMMOND ADDED THAT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WAS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE ALARMING TOLL OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS HAD AROUSED THE ATTENTION OF NOT ONLY THE GOVERNMENT, BUT ALL PARTIES CONCERNED -- THE MANAGEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, THE INDUSTRIAL WORK-FORCE, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
+ I AM SURE YOU WILL ALL AGREE THAT PREVENTING THE RECURRENCE OF THESE ACCIDENTS REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE EXPERTISE AND THE WORK OF PROMOTING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CALLS FOR DEDICATED PEOPLE WITH A SOUND KNOWLEDGE OF INDUSTRY AND PROPER TRAINING.+
THE PRESENT COURSE, HE CONTINUED, AIMED AT PROVIDING PERSONNEL AT SUPERVISORY AND MID-MANAGEMENT LEVELS WITH AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES- AND AT PREPARING THE PARTICIPANTS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY WHICH THEY WOULD MEET IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS HOPED THAT A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFICERS WILL BE PRODUCED IN DUE COURSE TO MEET THE ANTICIPATED DEMAND, SAID MR HAMMOND.
+OF COURSE, THERE IS NO NEED FOR EMPLOYERS TO WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO EMPLOY SAFETY OFFICERS. SOME RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYERS ALREADY DO THIS OF THEIR OWN ACCORD AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT MANY MORE WILL SOON COME TO REALISE THE VALUE OF HAVING QUALIFIED SAFETY OFFICERS ON THEIR STAFF, HE ADDED.
12