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FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1983
PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY
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HONG KONG PEOPLE, GENERALLY, HAVE STRONG AND CLEAR-CUT FEELINGS ABOUT INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AS A SOCIAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FINDINGS FROM A PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY CONDUCTED AMONG 1 000 PEOPLE REPRESENTING A CROSS SECTION OF ADULTS OF 18 YEARS AND ABOVE, FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT BY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES (ASIA) LTD.
THE SURVEY WAS PRIMARILY DESIGNED TO MEASURE AND EVALUATE PREVAILING OPINIONS, ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS AMONG ADULTS CONCERNING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AS A SOCIAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM, AND THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CAMPAIGN.
THE SURVEY SHOWED THAT 83 PER CENT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC VIEW INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, WITH THE MAJORITY CONSIDERING THE PRESENT SITUATION AS HAVING IMPROVED. EIGHTY PER CENT ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FEEL ALSO THAT THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS ARE LACK OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT, LACK OF TRAINING IN THE USE OF MODERN MACHINERY, AND PLAIN CARELESSNESS ON THE PART OF THE WORKERS THEMSELVES.
AND ABOUT EIGHT IN TEN BELIEVE THAT ALCOHOLISM, INEXPERIENCED WORKERS, AND INADEQUATE LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE COMMON CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL MISHAPS.
ABOUT 25 PER CENT OF THE PUBLIC CONSIDER FATALISM OR SUPERSTITION AS A CAUSE OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS.
THE SURVEY FINDS THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TEND TO AGREE THAT +INCONVENIENCE/DISCOMFORT+ AND IMPAIRMENT/OBSTRUCTION IN WORK FLOW ARE REASONS WHY WORKERS DO NOT USE OR WEAR SAFETY EQUIPMENT. MOST REJECT +EMBARRASSMENT+ AS A REASON FOR NOT USING SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
WHILE 60 PER CENT FEEL THAT THERE ARE NOW MORE INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS THAN IN THE PAST, 54 PER CENT BELIEVE THAT THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN THE FUTURE WILL DECREASE.
ON THE QUESTION OF WHERE RESPONSIBILITY LIES IN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, OPINION IS DIVIDED AS FOLLOWS: MANAGEMENT/EMPLOYERS NO PER CENT: LABOUR/WORKERS 33 PER CENT; AND GOVERNMENT - 27 PER CENT.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC FEEL THAT THE +BEST+ WAYS AND MEANS OF REDUCING OR MINIMISING INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS ARE:
* TO TRAIN WORKERS IN THE PROPER USE OF MODERN EQUIPMENT
AND MACHINERY;
/* TO HAVE