WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1980
SIR MURRAY: WORK SAFETY IS A TRIPARTITE RESPONSIBILITY
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE EMPHASISED TODAY THAT SAFETY IS A RESPONSIBILITY EQUALLY SHARED BETWEEN EMPLOYERS, WORKERS AND THE GOVERNMENT.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE ASIAN REGIONAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION CONGRESS AT THE SHERATON HOTEL, SIR MURRAY SAID THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS PLAYING ITS PART BY THE PROGRESSIVE ENACTMENT AND ENFORCEMENT OF SAFETY LEGISLATION AND BY PAYING INCREASING ATTENTION TO SAFETY EDUCATION.
*FOR THIS TO BE EFFECTIVE EMPLOYERS MUST ENSURE THAT THE LAW IS OBSERVED BOTH IN LETTER AND IN SPIRIT AND THAT THEIR WORKERS DO NOT FLAUNT THE RULES OUT OF EITHER SLACKNESS, BRAVADO OR LACK OF INSTRUCTION,+ HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT THERE WERE WELCOME SIGNS THAT BOTH EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS WERE BECOMING MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR
INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND MORE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN ITS PROMOTION.
+A NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED ON A TRIPARTITE BASIS AND MORE ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW, SIR MURRAY SAID.
LAST YEAR IN HONG KONG, THERE WERE ABOUT 46 000 INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS OR ABOUT 45 IN EVERY THOUSAND WORKERS.
THE ACCIDENTS RESULTED IN 163 FATALITIES, LOST 552 000 MAN-DAYS, CLAIMED HK$35 MILLION IN STATUTORY COMPENSATION AND COST SOMÉ $150 MILLION DUE TO WORK STOPPAGE AND MACHINE DAMAGE, NOT COUNTING THE INCALCULABLE TOLL OF HUMAN SUFFERING AND MISERY.
HONG KONG IS A CITY INTENSELY PROUD OF ITS DEVELOPMENT BUT WE CANNOT TAKE PRIDE IN THE SITUATION, SIR MURRAY SAID.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:
+ IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO OPEN THIS ASIAN REGIONAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION CONGRESS — THE FIRST IN ASIA. ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG 1 EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO ALL THE DISTINGUISHED VISITORS AND PARTICIPANTS.
+THE SUBJECT OF THE CONFERENCE, 'SAFETY AT WORK' IS WELCOME AND TIMELY. THE ASIAN REGION IS ONE OF RAPID ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS. IT IS A REGION OF SUCCESS AND A REGION IN A HURRY, AND RIGHTLY SO. BUT AS WE ALL KNOW PRECIOUS HUMAN LIVES ARE BEING PLACED AT RISK WHETHER THROUGH NEGLIGENT OR UNINSTRUCTED USE OF MACHINERY AND INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES OR THROUGH THE PRESSURE OF DESIRE FOR SPEED, IN A WORLD WHERE LIFE LIVED AT A FRENETIC PACE, IT IS INEVITABLE THAT SOME ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR AT WORK OR AT PLAY. BUT IT IS ESSENTIAL IF PEOPLE ARE TO ENUTY PROPERLY THE STRIKING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF TH 3 REGION MORE CARE MUST BE INSTILLED..