XN000022-1972-05-10 — Page 47

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Wednesday, May 10, 1972

Mr. Tsui said that under the system of reporting occupational

accidents introduced during the last quarter of 1969, nurses at the four

major hospitals help by notifying his department of all such accidents,

"Of the total of 24,610 accidents for 1970, 19,571 were of a very

minor nature involving only a few days off from work. A further 2,023

were slightly more serious involving permanent disability varying from

one to five per cent. Many of these would have previously gone unnoticed

and unreported," he explained.

The coverage of the Workmen's Compensation. Ordinance was widened by

the implementation of an amendment on January 1, 1970, by raising the wage

ceiling of non-manual workers from $700 to $1,500 a month and by covering for

the first time domestic servants, agricultural workers and certain other

categories of employees previously excluded, he said.

On steps taken by Government to educate employers in matters of

industrial safety, Mr. Tsui said the Industrial Safety Training Centre conducts

industrial safety training courses, makes available films, prepares and

issues posters.

Officers of his department also give T.V. interviews on industrial

safety and related matters, he added, and safety training and education also

forms an integral part of the curriculum at technical institutions and

vocational training centres.

As regards the amount of money Government spends on promoting industrial

safety, he said this expenditure, both direct and indirect, amounted to almost

$5 million in 1971-72, and that for 1972-73 is estimated to be of a similar

order.

/Mr. Tsui said