THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27,
1984'
10
SELF-HELP IN FACTORY SAFETY WORK URGED
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FACTORY PROPRIETORS AND MANAGEMENTS WERE TODAY (THURSDAY) URGED TO LOOK MORE TOWARDS THEMSELVES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AND SERIOUS HAZARDS IN INDUSTRY.
THE APPEAL WAS MADE BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S DEPUTY CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR T.K. CHAN IN A SPEECH ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTH.
MR CHAN SAID IT WOULD BE WASTEFUL AND DAMAGING IF INDUSTRY WERE TO UNLOAD ON GOVERNMENT THE TASK OF FINDING ANSWERS TO ALL THE SAFETY AND HEALTH PROBLEMS CREATED BY INDUSTRY ITSELF.
HE SAID IT WAS INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED THAT THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS AT WORK LAY WITH THOSE WHO CREATE THE RISKS AND THOSE WHO WORK WITH THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE SAID, TOO MANY MANAGEMENTS WERE CONTENT 'TO LEAVE IT TO THE FACTORY INSPECTORS' TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO ABOUT SAFETY.
MANY MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED PLANTS PRESENTED FEW OBVIOUS RISKS DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION, BUT MIGHT CAUSE SERIOUS HAZARDS ON OCCASIONS, SUCH AS LOADING OR CLEANING, OR FROM BREAKDOWNS IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS.
+ONLY TOO OFTEN, THESE HAZARDS RECEIVE ATTENTION ONLY AFTER THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR DISASTER, HE SAID.
HE STRESSED THAT SAFETY STANDARDS HAD TO BE WORKED OUT BETWEEN TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS, MIDDLE-MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIVES, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE WHOLE CYCLE OF PRODUCTION, AND POSSIBLE EMERGENCIES AND DEVIATIONS.
+TOP MANAGEMENTS MUST THEREFORE REALISE THE NEED TO SUPPLEMENT FACTORY INSPECTOR'S SURPRISE VISITS WITH ORGANISED METHODS OF INSPECTION WHICH CAN PROBE MORE DEEPLY INTO TECHNIQUES, PROCESS AND SYSTEMS OF WORK, HE ADDED.
ON THE SUBJECT OF FIRE HAZARDS, MR CHAN SAID THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE HAD TAKEN OUT 132 SUMMONSES IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR ON OBSTRUCTION OF DOORWAYS, STAIRWAYS AND PASSAGEWAYS WITHIN FACTORY PREMISES, AS OPPOSED TO THE 80 SUMMONSES FOR SIMILAR OFFENCES FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT THE EXISTING STATUTORY PROVISIONS UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (FIRE PRECAUTIONS IN REGISTRABLE WORKPLACE) REGULATIONS 1981 WAS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THOROUGH ANALYSES AND UNDERSTANDING BY THE MANAGEMENT OF THE INFLAMMABLE MATERIALS USED AND ADVANCED PLANNING FOR THEIR SAFE STORAGE AND USE.
ONCE FACTORY PROPRIETORS RECOGNISE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR TACKLING THEIR OWN SAFETY PROBLEMS, A FACTORY INSPECTORATE CAN DO MUCH TO HELP INDUSTRY TO HELP ITSELF+, AND SO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BROADER EFFORT FOR SAFETY AT WORK, MR CHAN CONCLUDED.
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