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WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1986
+WHERE NECESSARY THE SERVICES OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS CAN ALSO BE ENLISTED.
+ THERE IS ALSO A TELEPHONE COUNSELLING SERVICE AND PAMPHLETS HAVE BEEN PREPARED AND PRINTED FOR DISTRIBUTION BOTH TO THE PUBLIC AND TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS,+ HE ADDED.
PROMOTION FOCUS ON NOISE HAZARD AT WORKPLACE
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THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC AWARENESS THAT NOISE IS A HEALTH HAZARD IN THE WORKPLACE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS IN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CAMPAIGNS SINCE 1978, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP, MR HENDERSON SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD PRODUCED A RANGE OF PUBLICITY MATERIAL ON THE SUBJECT AND HAD DRAWN UP A CODE OF PRACTICE ON THE PROTECTION OF HEARING.
+THERE ARE SPECIAL COURSES ON THE SUBJECT AT THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE AND THE TOPIC IS ALSO COVERED IN MORE GENERAL COURSES AND SEMINARS ON INDUSTRIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE PROMOTION EFFORT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE WORK OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD'S TRIPARTITE SAFETY COMMITTEE AND ITS INDUSTRY-BASED SUB-COMMITTEES AND BY OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S OWN NOISE CONTROL OFFICE AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION.
MR HENDERSON EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE PROVISION OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS REGULATIONS, THE PROPRIETOR OF AN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING WAS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SUITABLE EAR PROTECTORS AND TO MAKE THEM READILY AVAILABLE FOR THE USE OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE EXPOSED TO LEVELS OF NOISE LIKELY TO POSE A THREAT TO HEALTH,
+EMPLOYEES ARE SIMILARLY REQUIRED TO WEAR THE EAR PROTECTORS PROVIDED, + HE SAID.
ON THE REPORTED NUMBER OF WORKERS SUFFERING FROM LOSS OF HEARING DUE TO EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE NOISE LEVEL IN THE WORKPLACE, MR HENDERSON SAID THERE WAS NO READY SOURCE OF STATISTICS.
+LOSS OF HEARING IS A GRADUAL PROCESS WHICH MAY TAKE PLACE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF YEARS AND IS THEREFORE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE OBJECTIVELY.
+ IT MAY ALSO BE CAUSED BY FACTORS OTHER THAN NOISE AT THE WORKPLACE, HE SAID.
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