WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1982
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IN 1980, HE SAID, 83 PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND 10 KILLED DUE TO ACCIDENTS FROM ALL CAUSES INVOLVING THE USE OF ALL TYPES OF POWER-DRIVEN LIFTING APPLIANCES ON CONSTRUCTION SITES. THE PROVISIONAL FIGURE FOR 1981 IS 199 INJURED AND EIGHT KILLED.
ACCIDENTS ATTRIBUTABLE SPECIFICALLY TO THE FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS OF LIFTING APPLIANCES IN THE YEARS 1980 AND 1981 WERE THREE DEATHS AND FIVE INJURED AND TWO DEATHS AND SEVEN INJURED RESPECTIVELY.
HOWEVER, A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF ALL LIFTING APPLIANCES ACCIDENTS WHICH OCCURRED IN 1979 AT CONSTRUCTION SITES INDICATED THAT THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF INJURIES INVOLVED THE MANUAL HANDLING OF LOADS SUSPENDED BY LIFTING APPLIANCES WHILE THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF DEATHS WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF SUSPENSION SYSTEM.
THE CAUSES OF SUCH FAILURES WERE MAINLY POOR MAINTENANCE, OVERLOADING OR UNSAFE WORKING METHODS, SAID MR HENDERSON.
GOVT CONCERNED ABOUT LEGAL IMMIGRATION
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THE GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE INFLOW OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON LYDIA DUNN, MR DAVIES SAID 54 267 LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ENTERED HONG KONG FROM CHINA IN 1981 WITHOUT ONWARD TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. THIS REPRESENTED A DAILY AVERAGE OF 149. THE FIGURES FOR 1980 WERE SIMILAR.
MR DAVIES QUOTED THE GOVERNOR IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 7 LAST YEAR IN WHICH SIR MURRAY SAID +AFTER THE FLOOD OF THE LAST FEW YEARS WE NEED A RESPITE.
+ IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO REDUCE THE NUMBERS COMING HERE FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING FOR GENUINE VISITORS WHOSE RETURN TO THEIR HOMES IN CHINA WAS ASSURED.+
MR DAVIES ALSO QUOTED THE GOVERNOR AS SAYING IN HIS ADDRESS LAST YEAR +WE CAN ONLY ACT IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FOR WHOM I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EASY MATTER+.
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