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MACHINE GUARDS A MUST

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FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1992

OF

FACTORY PROPRIETORS MUST PROPERLY GUARD ALL DANGEROUS PARTS MACHINERY TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM POSSIBLE INJURY, CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR CHAN TAT-KING, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

"IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO LEAVE A MACHINE UNGUARDED OR INADEQUATELY GUARDED AS EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED OPERATIVES CAN MAKE MISTAKES," MR CHAN SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT INJURIES RESULTING FROM MACHINERY ACCIDENTS WERE OFTEN SERIOUS AND COULD CAUSE PERMANENT EVEN DEATH TO THE VICTIM.

INCAPACITY OR

"PROPER GUARDING OF MACHINERY CAN HELP AVOID INJURIES AT ALL TIMES AND GIVES CONFIDENCE TO OPERATIVES," HE SAID.

+

UNLESS

"ON THE OTHER HAND A WORKER MUST NOT WORK ON A MACHINE IT IS PROPERLY GUARDED AND HE SHOULD AVOID COMING INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH DANGEROUS, MOVING PARTS OF A MACHINE, HE ADDED.

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MR CHAN CITED A RECENT CASE IN WHICH AN EMPLOYER WAS FINED $4,500 FOR VIOLATING THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (GUARDING AND OPERATION OF MACHINERY) REGULATIONS.

IN THE CASE, A WORKER'S RIGHT HAND WAS BADLY INJURED BY A PAIR OF ROTATING ROLLERS OF AN UNGUARDED OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE WHEN HE WAS CLEANING IT.

IN ANOTHER CASE LAST WEEK, A WORKER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT HAND IN A SIMILAR SITUATION IN A KOWLOON BAY FACTORY.

"UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (GUARDING AND OPERATION OF MACHINERY) REGULATIONS, FACTORY PROPRIETORS MUST EFFECTIVELY GUARD DANGEROUS PARTS OF EVERY PIECE OF MACHINERY OR FLANT DRIVEN BY MECHANICAL POWER, MR CHAN STRESSED.

"THE MEASURES INCLUDE INSTALLING INTERLOCKING GUARDS BOTH FRONT AND BEHIND THE ROTATING PARTS OF THE MACHINE; AND NIB GUARDS FLATE CYLINDERS AND BLANKET CYLINDERS," HE ADDED.

IN

ON

을보

HE POINTED OUT THAT PROPRIETORS SHOULD PROVIDE APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT FOR WORKERS IN CLEANING ROTATING PARTS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WORKERS SHOULD ATTEND SAFETY TRAINING COURSES RUN BY THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY COULD MAKE USE OF VARIOUS SAFETY EQUIPMENT EFFECTIVELY AND WOULD NOT OPERATE MACHINE AFTER REPAIR UNLESS GUARDS WERE RE-INSTALLED.

"PROPRIETORS MUST REALISE THAT IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY то PROVIDE A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT RELY ON OUR FACTORY INSPECTORS ΤΟ CONDUCT SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON THEIR BEHALF," HE SAID.

/"ANY PROPRIETOR

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