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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1986
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REINFORCE ITS WORK IN THIS RESPECT SO AS TO SECURE MORE INFORMATION ON THE HAZARDOUS LEVEL OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF A PROTOTYPE NATURE.
HE SUGGESTED THAT A CENTRAL REGISTRY BE SET UP AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH WORK.
TURNING TO THE DRAFT REGULATIONS ON THE CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, MR TAM SAID THE MOST IDEAL METHOD WAS TO REQUIRE MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES TO LABEL IN CHINESE ON EACH CONTAINER THE COMPONENTS OF THE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES, THE CORRECT WAY TO USE IT AND THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY MEASURES TO BE TAKEN.
HE STRESSED THAT THIS REQUIREMENT WAS NOT OVER-DEMANDING BECAUSE SUCH REGULATIONS DID EXIST IN MOST WESTERN COUNTRIES, AND SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY THE AUTHORITIES.
THIRDLY, MR TAM TOUCHED ON ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS. HE SAID THE SHORTAGE OF MANPOWER HAD MADE THE PERFORMANCE OF FACTORY INSPECTORS FAR FROM SATISFACTORY.
HE SAID HE BELIEVED THAT IF THE NUMBER OF FACTORY INSPECTORS WERE INCREASED, THE FREQUENCY OF INSPECTION COULD BE INCREASED ACCORDINGLY.
HE SAID INSPECTORS SHOULD CARRY OUT SOME SURPRISE CHECKS, MORE THOROUGH INSPECTIONS, AND AT THE SAME TIME, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE WORKERS ON SAFETY OPERATIONS.
HE RECOMMENDED THAT EACH FACTORY SHOULD ON THE AVERAGE, BE INSPECTED AT LEAST THRICE A YEAR.
POINTING OUT THAT THE PROPOSAL HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND FACTORY INSPECTORS, HE SAID THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE RAPID ACTION IN INCREASING THE NUMBER OF FACTORY INSPECTORS AS WELL AS TO ENHANCE THE THOROUGHNESS AND FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS.
ON REMEDIAL WORK, MR TAM SUPPORTED HEAVIER PENALTIES BE IMPOSED ON THOSE EMPLOYERS WHO VIOLATED THE LAW. HE FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT A SYSTEM OF CUMULATIVE PENALTIES BE ADOPTED SO THAT RECIDIVISTIC EMPLOYERS WOULD LEARN A DEEPER LESSON.
AS FOR EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION, MR TAM POINTED OUT THAT THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES USUALLY HAD TO WAIT A LONG TIME BEFORE RECEIVING COMPENSATION, THUS LOSING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMPENSATION WHICH WAS MEANT FOR URGENT NEED.
/HE SAID HE