SUNDAY, MAY 9, 1982
DROP IN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS
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THERE WERE 17 857 INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LAST YEAR, REPRESENTING A DROP OF 460 AS COMPARED WITH 18 319 IN 1980.
LAST YEAR ALSO SAW A LOWER ACCIDENT RATE OF
206 ACCIDENTS PER 1 000 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, COMPARED WITH 217 IN 1980.
THE DROP IN ACCIDENTS HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS SET UP LATE IN 1980 TO PROMOTE INDUSTRY SAFETY.
MR CHAN TAT-KING, SUPERINTENDENT OF FACTORY INSPECTORS, LABOUR DEPARTMENT, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY): +THOUGH ONLY A SLIGHT DROP IN NUMBER, IT HAS GIVEN MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT TO MEMBERS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE.+
THE SUB-COMMITTEE, WHICH COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE, ENABLES THE THREE PARTIES TO REGULARLY EXCHANGE VIEWS ON SAFETY PROBLEMS AND TO WORK OUT PRACTICABLE SAFETY MEASURES.
IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION, THE SUB-COMMITTEE FINALISED A SET OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR OPERATING CONCRETE PUMPS, PUBLICISED ELECTRICAL SAFETY, PARTICIPATED IN SAFETY CAMPAIGNS AND ORGANISED A SAFETY SEMINAR FOR SUPERVISORS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
MR CHAN EMPHASISED THAT THE JOINT EFFORTS OF EMPLOYERS, WORKERS AND THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE HAD PROVED TO BE ESSENTIAL IN SECURING A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
NEVERTHELESS, THE SUB-COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE AWARE THAT THERE STILL REMAIN CERTAIN AREAS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES WHICH REQUIRE THEIR CLOSE ATTENTION.
*WE ARE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO STRIVE FOR A SAFER WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, HE SAID.