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WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1992
I HOPE THIS BRIEF PREAMBLE WILL ASSURE MEMBERS THAT OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IS AS CLOSE TO OUR HEART AS IT IS TO THEIRS. THE GOVERNMENT IS DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT SOME 100,000 OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS OCCURRED IN 1991, 48,000 ACCIDENTS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS. THESE FIGURES ARE UNACCEPTABLY HIGH. WE WILL SPARE NO EFFORT IN SEEKING TO BRING IT RIGHT DOWN. BUT WE WILL NEED THE CO-OPERATION OF ALL CONCERNED, PARTICULARLY EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, IF WE ARE TO MAKE ANY REAL PROGRESS.
OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS ARE A PROBLEM FOR EVERYBODY. THEY CAUSE MUCH SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP TO THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES. TO EMPLOYERS THEY MEAN LOST PRODUCTIVITY, REDUCED OUTPUT AND COMPENSATION BILLS OR HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIA. AS FOR THE GOVERNMENT, EVERY NEW INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT BRINGS MORE CRITICISM AND PRESSURE FOR ACTION. SO ALL OF US HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN PREVENTING INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS FROM HAPPENING.
INDUSTRIAL SAFETY: MONITORING AND PROSECUTION
LET ME TURN ΤΟ THE MOTION BEFORE US TODAY. IT HAS FOUR OPERATIVE PARTS. THE FIRST PART URGES THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENHANCE MONITORING AND STEP UP PROSECUTIONS. THIS IS AN AREA TO WHICH THE JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE DEVOTED ONE WHOLE CHAPTER OF ITS REPORT.
MONITORING UNDER THE
THE
THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS GENERALLY WELL PLACED FOR
FUNCTION. ENFORCEMENT OF SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS IN THE 92,000 FACTORIES AND 4,000 CONSTRUCTION SITES IN HONG KONG IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WHICH HAS AN ESTABLISHMENT OF 217 STAFF. THEY WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE STAFF OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION WHOSE EXPERTISE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CALLED UPON IN INVESTIGATING SERIOUS ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, OR UNKNOWN FUMES AND CAISSON NEARLY 72,000 INSPECTIONS WERE MADE IN 1991 RESULTING IN 2,101 PROSECUTIONS AND FINES TOTALLING OVER $12 MILLION, COMPARED WITH 69,000 INSPECTIONS, 1,931 PROSECUTIONS AND FINES OF OVER $11 MILLION IN 1990.
BUT WHILE PROSECUTION CAN AND WILL BE STEPPED UP WHERE WARRANTED, IT IS NOT THE REAL ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM. OUR CONCERN MUST BE то KEEP THE RISKS OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS TO A MINIMUM. THIS DEPENDS GREATLY ON THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES. THIS IS WHY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S STRATEGY FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF WORKPLACE SAFETY HAS PLACED INCREASING EMPHASIS ON EDUCATING EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF- REGULATION AT THE WORKPLACE. WE BELIEVE THAT PUTTING THE EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY, AND SUPPORTING IT WITH VIGOROUS INSPECTION AND PROSECUTION, IS THE RIGHT STRATEGY.
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