WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 107
REFERRING TO THE FLOATING HOLIDAYS, DR HAYES SAID THE BILL FURTHER PROPOSES THAT WHERE AN EMPLOYER DOES NOT FIX ONE OR BOTH OF THE HOLIDAYS, THEN SUCH DAY OR DAYS WILL, AT THE REQUEST OF AN EMPLOYEE, BE ADDED TO HIS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE.
WHERE FLOATING HOLIDAYS ARE NOT FIXED BY THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE DOES NOT REQUEST THAT THEY BE ADDED TO THE PAID ANNUAL LEAVE, THE EMPLOYEE WILL BE GRANTED HOLIDAYS ON THE MONDAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SECOND SATURDAY IN JUNE AND ON THE LAST MONDAY IN AUGUST.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
UNDER THE EXISTING EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE EMPLOYEES ARE ENTITLED TO 10 STATUTORY HOLIDAYS WITH PAY IN A YEAR.
IF, FOR ANY REASON, AN EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO WORK ON A STATUTORY HOLIDAY, HIS EMPLOYER MAY GIVE HIM AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY WITHIN 60 DAYS BEFORE OR AFTER A STATUTORY HOLIDAY WITH 48 HOURS' NOTICE.
HOWEVER, IF THE EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE AGREE, ANY DAY WITHIN 30 DAYS OF A STATUTORY OR ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY MAY BE TAKEN BY THE EMPLOYEE AS A SUBSTITUTED HOLIDAY.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION FOR COMPRESSED AIR WORKERS
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UNDER AMENDED REGULATIONS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), WORKERS ENGAGED IN COMPRESSED AIR WORK WILL RECEIVE RADIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION FOR DETECTION OF BONE NECROSIS ANNUALLY, INSTEAD OF EVERY SIX MONTHS.
IN TABLING THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (WORK IN COMPRESSED AIR)(AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1982, THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, DR THE HON J.W. HAYES, EXPLAINED THE REASONS FOR THE CHANGE IN THE FREQUENCY OF EXAMINATIONS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT A REVIEW OF HEALTH EXPERIENCE IN HONG KONG SINCE WORK IN COMPRESSED AIR STARTED IN 1977, AND A SIMILAR REVIEW IN BRITAIN, HAD CONFIRMED A VERY LOW INCIDENCE OF BONE NECROSIS.
+BEARING IN MIND THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC AND PREVENTIVE POTENTIAL OF RADIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION MUST BE BALANCED AGAINST POSSIBLE
IONISING RADIATION HAZARD TO THE INDIVIDUAL, IT IS NOW CONSIDERED THAT ANNUAL RATHER THAN SIX-MONTHLY EXAMINATIONS ARE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DETECTION OF BONE NECROSIS. THIS WILL HALVE IONISING RADIATION EXPOSURE WITHOUT FORFEITING ANY APPRECIABLE DISEASE PREVENTIVE POTENTIAL, HE NOTED.
DR HAYES ADDED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD A SIMILAR CHANGE WOULD BE RECOMMENDED FOR THE UK CODE OF PRACTICE FOR WORK IN COMPRESSED AIR.