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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1987
NEED FOR TOY SAFETY EMPHASISED
TO
THE GOVERNMENT HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN PUBLICISING THE NEED FOR GREATER ATTENTION TO BE PAID TO TOY SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SPECIFIC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR A.G. EASON, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
SPEAKING AT AN INTERNATIONAL TOY SAFETY SEMINAR, MR EASON SAID THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT'S PRODUCT STANDARDS AND INFORMATION BUREAU MAINTAINS AN EXTENSIVE AND UP-TO-DATE REFERENCE LIBRARY OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT STANDARDS APPLYING IN HONG KONG'S MAIN MARKETS.
"MANUFACTURERS ARE MOST WELCOME TO CONSULT THIS LIBRARY, AND TO MAKE USE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S RECENTLY-INAUGURATED TELEPHONE ENQUIRY SERVICE ON PRODUCT STANDARDS," HE ADDED.
"THE BUREAU ALSO ISSUES BULLETINS TO MANUFACTURERS ON CHANGES IN MANDATORY STANDARDS WHICH MAY AFFECT PRODUCTS PRODUCED LOCALLY.
MR EASON NOTED THAT IN MORE RECENT YEARS, CONSUMERS IN HONG KONG'S MAJOR MARKETS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF THE PRODUCTS THEY BUY, PARTICULARLY OF TOYS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT IS YOUNG CHILDREN WHO MAY BECOME EXPOSED TO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS GOODS.
"THIS GROWING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY IN THE DESIGN OF TOYS IS REFLECTED IN THE RISE IN THE NUMBER OF STANDARDS FOR COMPLIANCE WHICH APPLY TO TOYS."
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT ALSO COORDINATES SCHEMES TO MONITOR THE SAFETY OF TOYS EXPORTED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES.
"SINCE 1985, TOYS FOR EXPORT HAVE BEEN SAMPLED AT RANDOM AND TESTED TO SEE WHETHER THEY COMPLY WITH THE RELEVANT STANDARDS.
"ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS IS NOT LARGE IN RELATION HONG KONG'S TOTAL VOLUME OF EXPORTS, HONG KONG MUST NOT SLACKEN ITS EFFORTS TO ENSURE IT IS ACCEPTED WORLDWIDE WITHOUT QUESTION PRODUCER OF SAFE, GOOD QUALITY PRODUCTS."
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IN ADDITION TO THE PROMOTION OF PRODUCT SAFETY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO DEVOTED CONSIDERABLE EFFORT IN RECENT YEARS TO BUILDING UP THE SERVICES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE BY INDUSTRY.
"THIS INCLUDES THE GOVERNMENT'S STANDARDS AND CALIBRATION LABORATORY, THE HONG KONG LABORATORY ASSOCIATION SCHEME, AND THE PRODUCT STANDARDS INFORMATION BUREAU ALREADY REFERRED TO," HE SAID.
"THE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY ASKED CONSULTANTS TO RECOMMEND WHAT FURTHER MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROMOTE QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HONG KONG, AND PROPOSALS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS."
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