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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1992
THE NEW REGULATION DIVIDES NOISE HAZARDS INTO THREE DIFFERENT ACTION LEVELS IN LINE WITH SIMILAR CLASSIFICATIONS USED IN THE UK NOISE AT WORK REGULATIONS 1989.
IT ALSO SPELLS OUT THE DUTIES OF PROPRIETORS AND EMPLOYEES AT THE RESPECTIVE ACTION LEVELS.
THE MAJOR REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT:
* AT THE FIRST ACTION LEVEL, A PROPRIETOR HAS TO PROVIDE A SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTOR TO AN EMPLOYEE UPON REQUEST, EXCEPT WHERE THE WEARING OF EAR PROTECTORS WOULD BE LIKELY TO CAUSE A RISK TO THE SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEE OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON;
* AT THE
SECOND ACTION LEVEL OR ABOVE, OR AT THE PEAK ACTION LEVEL, PROPRIETORS MUST PROVIDE AND EMPLOYEES MUST WEAR APPROVED KAR PROTECTORS, AND THE AREA IN ANY INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING THUS AFFECTFD MUST BE DEMARCATED AS AN EAR PROTECTION ZONE: AND
* WHERE DEMARCATION IS IMPRACTICABLE, AS IN THE CASE OF A
CONSTRUCTION SITE, ALL NOISY MACHINES MUST BE LABELLED. EMPLOYEES ATTENDING TO THESE NOISY MACHINES MUST WEAR EAR PROTECTORS.
MR CHAN SAID THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WAS EMPOWERED TO MAKE EXEMPTION WHERE, DESPITE ACTION BY A PROPRIETOR, IT HAD NOT BEEN PRACTICABLE FOR HIM TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW REGULATION.
"CONTRAVENTION OF THE NEW REGULATION WILL INCUR A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF $30,000 FOR EMPLOYERS AND $10,000 FOR EMPLOYEES, HE SAID.
TO GIVE PROPRIETORS OF INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS AMPLE TIME FOR COMPLIANCE, THE NEW REGULATION COMES INTO OPERATION 12 MONTHS AFTER APPROVAL.
THE GOVERNMENT IS EMBARKING ON AN OVERALL REVIEW OF THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF PENALTY UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE ΤΟ SEE WHETHER THERE IS A NEED TO INCREASE THE PENALTY LEVELS.
THIS REVIEW IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BEFORE THE IS BROUGHT INTO OPERATION IN A YEAR'S TIME.
REGULATION
THE
ANY
ANOTHER REVIEW WILL ALSO BE UNDERTAKEN SIX MONTHS AFTER REGULATION HAS COME INTO OPERATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THERE ARE ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION DIFFICULTIES WHICH MAY NEED TO BE TACKLED.
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