ESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1982
BIG STEP TAKEN ON ELECTRICAL SAFETY
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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN A MAJOR STEP TO ENSURE SAFETY IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.
THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J.N. HENDERSON, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF REGULATIONS ON THE SAFE USE OF ELECTRICITY. THE REGULATIONS, KNOWN AS THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (ELECTRICITY) REGULATIONS 1982, WERE LATER APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
SEEKING APPROVAL OF THE REGULATIONS, MR HENDERSON POINTED OUT THAT STATISTICS OF ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING EMPLOYEES SHOWED THAT THE STANDARD OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS WAS OFTEN LOW.
LAST YEAR, 11 PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT OF ELECTROCUTION AND THERE WERE 152 NON-FATAL INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING ELECTRICITY.
HITHERTO, THERE HAD NOT BEEN A SINGLE, COMPREHENSIVE SET OF REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE SAFE USE OF ELECTRICITY IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS. SOME MEASURES FOR THE PREVENTION OF HAZARDS ARISING FROM THE USE OF ELECTRICITY IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS HAD BEEN CONTAINED IN DIFFERENT ITEMS OF SAFETY LEGISLATION AND HAD BEEN RESTRICTED TO CERTAIN AREAS.
+THE REGULATIONS NOW TABLED BEFORE THIS COUNCIL ARE BASED BROADLY ON THE ELECTRICITY REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE UK FACTORIES ACT. THEY PRESCRIBE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE SAFETY IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS,+ MR HENDERSON NOTED.
MR HENDERSON SAID THAT THE REGULATIONS PLACED ON THE PROPRIETOR OF AN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT HIS ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS AND APPARATUS ARE IN SAFE WORKING ORDER.
THEY ALSO DEAL WITH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE INSULATION AND THE SAFEGUARDING OF CONDUCTORS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF SWITCHES AND SWITCHBOARDS, SWITCH FUSES, CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND INSULATING LINKS, MEANS OF ISOLATING VOLTAGE AND MEANS OF PREVENTING ELECTRICAL SHOCK AND FIRE.
AS PROPRIETORS MAY NEED TIME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS, MR HENDERSON PROPOSED THAT THE REGULATIONS SHOULD COME INTO OPERATION IN SIX MONTHS, PROBABLY FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR BY NOTIFICATION IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD LAUNCH A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATION OF WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS ON THE CONTENTS OF THE REGULATIONS.
TOPRIETORS WOULD