FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1989
9
-
TASK FORCES FORMED TO ENSURE SITE SAFETY
THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL LAUNCH A FOUR-PRONGED OPERATION STARTING FROM NEXT MONTH TO PROMOTE SAFETY IN BUILDING SITES FOLLOWING A SURGE IN THE ACCIDENT TOLL IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
OF
CASES
IN
ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY), THE NUMBER INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS INCREASED BY FOUR PER CENT FROM 57,403 1987 TO 59,508 LAST YEAR.
"ALTHOUGH ACCIDENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR DROPPED BY FOUR PER CENT DURING THE PERIOD, FIGURES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAD LEAPT BY 14 PER CENT OF A RECORD HIGH OF 27,125 CASES, COMPARED WITH 23.846 IN 1987, THE DEPARTMENT'S INSPECTOR, MR YIP YUK-LUN, SAID.
CHIEF FACTORY
"IT MEANS THAT ON AVERAGE MORE THAN ONE OUT OF THREE WORKERS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION 72,000-STRONG
WORKFORCE
IN WERE INJURED
OTHER INDUSTRIES ACCIDENTS, WHILE THE INJURY RATE FOR WORKERS IN ALL WAS A MERE 3.4 PER CENT LAST YEAR.
INDUSTRY "THE DEATH TOLL IN THE CONSTRUCTION
A TOTAL OF FROM 55 TO 58, OUT OF
84 FATALITIES RECORDED IN ALL INDUSTRIES IN 1988," HE NOTED.
HAD ALSO RISEN
MR
OF
AS TO THE CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, YIP SAID MOST WERE RELATED TO STEPPING ON OR STRIKING AGAINST OBJECTS, FALL OF PERSONS AND OBJECTS, MANUAL LIFTING OF LOADS AND OPERATION MACHINERY.
THE SAFETY MR YIP
"WE, IN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, ARE KEEN TO IMPROVE RECORD IN THE INDUSTRY AND TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, STATED.
"THIS IS ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT IN VIEW OF THE LABOUR SHORTAGE
THROUGH IN HONG KONG BECAUSE IF WE CONTINUE TO LOSE STAFF
ACCIDENTS, WE WILL CERTAINLY FURTHER STRAIN OUR LIMITED HUMAN RESOURCES.
"
TO STEM THE INCREASING NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS,
OF
AREAS PRIORITY FACTORY INSPECTORATE HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER ATTENTION.
THE
FOR
SAID TAT-KING,
A
THE DEPUTY CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR CHAN SIX-MONTH ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMME WOULD BE LAUNCHED FROM APRIL 1.
ΤΟ
то AND
ASSIST ENSURE
"SPECIAL TASK FORCES MADE UP OF EXPERIENCED FACTORY INSPECTORS WILL VISIT
SITES THROUGHOUT BUILDING
THE TERRITORY TO IDENTIFY BLACK SPOTS COMPLIANCE OF SAFETY REGULATIONS BY ALL CONCERNED," HE SAID.
CONTRACTORS
AND WORKERS
PHASED
"THE EXERCISE WILL INCLUDE FOUR TACKLE DIFFERENT PROBLEM AREAS LIKELY TO CAUSE CONSTRUCTION SITES.
GEARED PROGRAMMES SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IN
TO
/""THEY ARE
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