THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1993
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ON THE OTHER HAND, EMPLOYEES SHOULD ADOPT A MORE POSITIVE AND ACTIVE ROLE TO CO-OPERATE WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS IN COMPLYING WITH THEIR STATUTORY DUTIES IN TAKING NECESSARY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND KEEPING THE WORKPLACE SAFE, MR CHAN SAID.
CONTRACTORS AND OWNERS WHO HAVE PROBLEMS IN SAFETY MANAGEMENT MAY EITHER APPROACH THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION BRANCH OFFICES + THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE, 13TH FLOOR, HARBOUR BUILDING, 38 PIER ROAD, CENTRAL, OR THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL FOR HELP.
HEAVIER PENALTIES TO PROTECT WORKERS' SAFETY PROPOSED
THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (F&IU) ORDINANCE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS TO BETTER PROTECT WORKERS' SAFETY AND HEALTH.
THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS AMENDMENT BILL 1993 AND SUBSIDIARY AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 1993, WHICH OUTLINE THE PROPOSALS, HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL AND WILL BR GAZETTED TOMORROW (FRIDAY).
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UNDER THE PROPOSALS, ALL OFFENCES RELATING TO THE ORDINANCE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS 'MINOR' 'SERIOUS' AND 'VERY SERIOUS' DEPENDING ON THE DEGREE OF RISKS AND HAZARDS AS WELL AS THE POSSIBLE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES.
OF OFFENCES
THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR EACH CATEGORY ARE $10,000 FOR MINOR OFFENCES, $50,000 FOR SERIOUS AND $200,000 OR WITHOUT IMPRISONMENT FOR VERY SERIOUS OFFENCES.
ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR MAK SAI-YIU, GENERAL, "MINOR OFFENCES" ARE MAINLY TECHNICAL BREACHES OF PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS FAILURE TO KEEP RECORDS OR ABSENCE OF STATUTORY WARNING NOTICES OR SIGNS, LACK OF EQUIPMENT.
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OFFENCES
WITH
SAID IN STATUTORY REGISTERS, FIRST AID
INVOLVING RELATIVELY SERIOUS BREACHES OF SAFETY REGULATIONS, BUT NOT NORMALLY CAUSING VERY SERIOUS BODILY HARM ARE CLASSIFIED AS 'SERIOUS OFFENCES', HE SAID.
EXAMPLES ARE FAILURE TO MARK THE MAXIMUM SPEED OF ABRASIVE WHEELS AND POOR WORKPLACE LIGHTING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, OFFENCES INVOLVING BREACHES OF SAFETY REGULATIONS WHICH MAY CAUSE IMMINENT RISK OF FATALITY OR VERY SERIOUS BODILY INJURY ARE CLASSIFIED AS VERY SERIOUS OFFENCES'.
TO
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SUCH OFFENCES INCLUDE NEGLIGENCE OF GENERAL DUTIES PROVISIONS ENSURE WORKERS SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK, LACK OF PROTECTION TO PREVENT FALLING FROM HEIGHT, OUTBREAK OF EXPLOSION AND GRAVE FIRE HAZARDS.