WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1986
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PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE STRESSED
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PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE AND THE BASIC PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY ARE ENGINEERING, ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION, THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN SAID TODAY WEDNESDAY).
HE WAS LEADING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN HIS CAPACITY AS CONVENER OF A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP TO PREPARE FOR THE DEBATE.
+ENGINEERING+ MEANT THE DESIGN, LAYOUT, CONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCTION PROCESS WHICH ALL HAD A BEARING ON THE CREATION OF A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, HE EXPLAINED.
+ENFORCEMENT+ MEANT NOT ONLY THE ENFORCEMENT OF SAFETY LAWS BY LABOUR INSPECTORS ON SPOT CHECKS BUT ALSO THE INTERNAL SAFETY ENFORCEMENT BY THE MANAGEMENT, HE SAID.
NOTING THAT THE NUMBER OF FACTORY INSPECTORS WOULD OBVIOUSLY NEVER MATCH THE NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS OR ACCIDENTS, MR CHAN SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE INCREASED INSPECTION ON CONSTANT OFFENDERS, WHICH WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM TURNING MINOR FAULTS INTO DISASTERS.
+EDUCATION MEANT THE METHODS OF TEACHING THE EMPLOYEES TO AVOID ACCIDENTS, THROUGH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, PARTICIPATION IN SAFETY SEMINARS AND CAMPAIGNS USING THE MASS PUBLICITY MEDIA, HE ADDED.
MR CHAN ALSO PROPOSED THAT FIRST AID SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE EDUCATION PROGRAMMES. HE SAID THE SUCCESSFUL PILOT SCHEME OF USING MOTORCYCLES TO CARRY FIRST AID PERSONNEL TO OVERCOME TRAFFIC DELAYS SHOULD BE GIVEN FULL IMPLEMENTATION.
IN ADDITION, HE SUGGESTED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD SEEK THE COOPERATION OF THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE TO ORGANISE FIRST AID SEMINARS FOR EMPLOYEES.
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AS FOR EMPLOYEES. HE ADVISED THEM NOT TO TAKE A PASSIVE OR FATALISTIC APPROACH TO INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.
+ACCIDENTS CAN BE PREVENTED WITH A LITTLE MORE CARE AND FOR THOSE WHO WORK FAST MACHINES SHOULD NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE SAFEGUARDS FOR MORE PRODUCTION NOR SHOULD THEY SPEND THE WHOLE NIGHT PLAYING MAHJONG AND WORK WITH SLEEPY EYES.
+ SMOKING WHILE WORKING WITH SOLVENTS AND THE LIKE IS
SUICIDAL, + MR CHAN SAID.
FINALLY, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE CLEARCUT DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WAS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH REMEDIES, SO THAT A RECURRENCE OF ACCIDENTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE COULD BE PREVENTED.
MR CHAN ALSO EMPHASISED THAT THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY REQUIRED THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.
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