HAZARD PREVENTION
23
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1991
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LET ME DEAL FIRST WITH HAZARD PREVENTION. THE GOVERNMENT TAKES THE VIEW THAT THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK RESTS WITH THOSE WHO CREATE THE RISKS AND THOSE WHO WORK WITH THE RISKS. THIS PRINCIPLE UNDERLIES THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE THE MAIN STATUTE GOVERNING HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK. AS A RESULT, MAJOR AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED IN DECEMBER 1989, THE ORDINANCE NOW MAKES EMPLOYERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL PEOPLE WORKING WITHIN THEIR UNDERTAKINGS. EQUALLY IT MAKES EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHING A RISK FREE WORKING ENVIRONMENT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IMPLEMENTS THIS LEGISLATION IN TWO WAYS. FIRST OF ALL, IT PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORDINANCE THROUGH PUBLICITY, EDUCATION AND TRAINING. AS MR HO SAI-CHU HAS ALREADY POINTED OUT, THIS EFFORT IS ABLY COMPLEMENTED BY THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL.
AS A RESULT, MORE BUSINESSES ARE TAKING THE INITIATIVE IN EMPLOYING SAFETY AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO ADVISE THEM ON THEIR WORK PROCEDURES. SECONDLY, THE DEPARTMENT INSPECTS INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS TO ENSURE THAT BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE COMPLYING WITH THE LAW. AND HERE I SHOULD PERHAPS REMIND HONOURABLE MEMBERS THAT WHERE A SERIOUS BREACH OF THE LAW HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION CAN RESULT IN THE IMPOSITION OF CUSTODIAL PENALTIES.
IS
THE COMBINED EFFECT OF BOTH OUR PROMOTIONAL AND REGULATORY EFFORT HAS BEEN A STEADY REDUCTION IN THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS. OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS HAS STABLISED AT ABOUT 53 000 A YEAR. BUT WHAT
MORE ENCOURAGING IS THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE CAUSED BY POWER DRIVEN MACHINERY, AND I AM SURE MY COLLEAGUE THE SECRETARY FROR HEALTH AND WELFARE WILL AGREED WITH ME, IT IS THESE INJURIES WHICH ARE REALLY NASTY. THESE INJURIES HAVE DECLINED FROM NEARLY 10 000 IN 1986 TO ABOUT 8 000 LAST YEAR. So, WB HAVE BEEN ACHIEVING STEADY PROGRESS. NEVERTHELESS THE LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IS STILL A MATTER OF CONCERN, PARTICULARLY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO RELAX OUR VIGILANCE.
AND
CATERING
SEVERAL MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE AMBIT OF THE FACTORIES INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL INDUSTRIES. THE ORDINANCE NOW COVERS FACTORIES, CONSTRUCTION
SITES, MINES AND QUARRIES AND, FROM THE END OF THIS YEAR, ALL ESTABLISHMENTS. IN CONSIDERING FURTHER EXTENSIONS, WE WILL NEED TO BEAR IN MIND THAT RESOURCES ARE LIMITED. I AM NOT TROTTING OUT A GOLIB FACE IN SAYING RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, THEY ARE TRULY LIMITED. MEMBERS OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DO NOT GROWN ON TREES, THEY HAVE TO BE RECRUITTED; TIME HAS TO BE SPEND ON TRAINING THEM; THEY HAVE TO BE GIVEN TIME TO GAIN EXPERIENCE. EVEN WITH THE BEST WILL IN THE WORLD, EVEN WITH UNLIMITED RESOURCES IT WILL NEED TIME AND PATIENCE TO WORK UP AN INCREASED CAPABILITY. 30 FAR WE HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON THE HIGHER RISK AREAS, SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING, WITH MEASURE OF SUCCESS. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER WE HAVE MANAGED ΤΟ THE OVERALL LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS STABLE OVER THE PAST YEARS AND THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES. WE MUST NOT SPREAD OUR RESOURCES SO THINLY THAT WE PUT AT RISK THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR SO LONG TO SECURE.
SOME
KEEP
FIVE
/SEVERAL MEMBERS