XN000022-1972-05-10 — Page 46

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Wednesday, May 10, 1972

LARGE INCREASE IN OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS

Due To New Reporting System

The Commissioner of Labour, the Hon. Paul Tsui, said today a new

reporting system together with a wider coverage of the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance were jointly responsible for the seemingly large increase in the number of occupational accidents reported in 1969.

This conclusion will become more apparent when the number of

occupational accidents reported during 1971 is available for comparison with the 1970 figures, he said.

He was speaking in the Legislative Council in reply to a question

by Dr. the Hon. S.Y. Chung.

Dr. Chung had asked: "In the light of the rapidly rising number of occupational accidents reported under the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance during the year 1970 (from 1,301 cases in January to 3,349 in December 1970), will Government explain:

(a) how far the 1970 figures reflect a real increase in the

number of occupational accidents and how far they are the result of defects in the pre-October 1969 reporting system;

(b) what steps Government is taking to educate employers and in particular the work force in matters of industrial safety and to what extent is Government spending financially on the promotion of industrial safety; and

(c) the respective number of employers and employees who in 1970 were reached by the activities of the Industrial Safety Training Centre?"

/Mr, Teui