WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1994
LET
METHODS
TWO
DANGEROUS SAFE OF THE TASKED
US ALSO LOOK AT THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENTS IN THE SECTORS. ACCIDENTS IN INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND CONSTRUCTION SITES ARE DUE LARGELY TO UNSAFE INDUSTRIAL PRACTICES OR INADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF
OR HEAVY RECTIFICATION MACHINERY.
OFTEN INVOLVES EXPERT
IN INPUT
OPERATION
AND IN PROPER EXAMINATION AND MAINTENANCE MACHINERY CONCERNED. WHILE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE STILL WITH THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE MACHINES AND PRACTICES ARE SAFE, GOVERNMENT CAN PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE HERE IN MAKING
THE DESIRED SURE THAT
SAFETY PRACTICES ARE FOLLOWED, WHERE IT INVOLVES COMPLICATED WORK PROCEDURES, WE ALSO
ΤΟ NEED LEGISLATION
SPECIFY
QUALIFICATIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE PROCEDURES.
THE
ACCIDENTS IN THE OFFICE AND SHOP-FLOOR ENVIRONMENT ARE VERY DIFFERENT THEY ARE DUE LARGELY TO MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL INADEQUACIES SUCH AS POOR ILLUMINATION, SLIPPERY FLOOR, OR CARELESS HANDLING OF OFFICE FURNITURE OR EQUIPMENT, OR IN SOME CARES SIMPLE ABSENT- MINDEDNESS. THEY ARE MAINLY MATTERS THAT CAN BE CORRECTED BASILY AND QUICKLY THROUGH EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE INITIATIVES, WITHOUT RESORTING TO LEGISLATION AND INSPECTION.
WHEN
FOR
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE EMPHASISED ON PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY IT COMES TO SAFETY AND HEALTH IN THE NON-INDUSTRIAL WORKPLACE. EXAMPLE, THE OCCUPATIONAL AND HEALTH DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT GAVE A TOTAL OF 519 TALKS ON SAFETY AND HEALTH IN NON-INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN 1993. IT ALSO PUBLISHED MANY EDUCATION PAMPHLETS ON SUBJECTS SUCH AS HEALTH ADVICE ON VENTILATION SYSTEMS, USE OF VISUAL ARE DISPLAY UNITS, AND PREVENTION OF BACK INJURY. THESE PUBLICATIONS MAILED REGULARLY TO TRADE ORGANISATIONS, TRADE UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS.
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, FOR THE PROMOTION OF BETTER SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR ALL WORKERS. FORMED IN 1988, THE COUNCIL IS FUNDED BY THE EMPLOYEE'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE LEVY. IT PUBLISHES A BIMONTHLY MAGAZINE, THE "GREEN CROSS", TO PUBLICISE SAFE PRACTICES IN THE WORKPLACE. MANY ARTICLES IN THIS MAGAZINE DEAL SPECIFICALLY WITH TO ENHANCE SAFETY IN THE OFFICE AND NON-INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT.
HOW
AND
AND
THE
GOVERNMENT HAS NOT IGNORED THE SAFETY OF NON-INDUSTRIAL WORKERS. WE HAVE INDEED BEEN VERY PRAGMATIC IN CONSIDERING WHETHER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER NON-INDUSTRIAL AREAS. DESPITE THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE, THIS LEGISLATION ACTUALLY APPLIES TO WORK IN CONSTRUCTION SITES SHIPYARDS; LOADING, UNLOADING AND HANDLING OF GOODS AND CARGOES;
TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS AND GOODS. THE
IN 1990, IN VIEW OF LARGE NUMBER OF WORK ACCIDENTS IN CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS, THE SCOPE OF THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO COVER RESTAURANTS AND OTHER CATERING BUSINESSES WHICH DO NOT NORMALLY FALL WITHIN THE AMBIT OF INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. THE RESULT HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING: THE ACCIDENT RATE PER THOUSAND WORKERS HAS DECLINED FROM 79.8 то 66.3 BETWEEN 1992 AND 1993.
WE SHALL CONTINUE TO ADOPT THIS PRAGMATIC APPROACH. THERE ARE AREAS THAT GENUINELY CALL FOR SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND HEALTH, WE WOULD GIVE THOSE CONSIDERATION.
WHERE CONTROL SERIOUS
/BUT I