XN000022-1974-04-30 — Page 2

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1974.

TOUGH NEW SAFETY RULES FOR BUILDERS

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STRINGENT SAFETY REGULATIONS TO PROTECT WORKERS ON HONG KONG'S CONSTRUCTION SITES COME INTO FORCE TOMORROW.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR, MR. NEIL HENDERSON SAID: THESE SITES ARE BY FAR THE WORST KILLERS IN HONG KONG INDUSTRY. WE ARE DETERMINED TO REDUCE THEIR SOARING INJURY AND DEATH RATE.

+ A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE HAD SIX PEOPLE KILLED IN A FEW DAYS AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES. ON MONDAY, ANOTHER DIED.

+THIS IS TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY FOR OUR GROWTH AND EX- PANSION.+

THE REGULATIONS - THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE YET INTRODUCED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TO COVER AN INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRY WERE APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON AUGUST 1 LAST YEAR, AND BUILDING CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN GIVEN NINE MONTHS TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO COMPLY WITH THEM.

MR. HENDERSON:SAID A SPECIAL TEAM OF INSPECTORS HAD BEEN SET UP TO DEAL SOLELY WITH THE CHECKING OF BUILDING SITES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SAFETY MEASURES, WHICH CARRIED FINES OF UP TO $10,000 FOR EACH OFFENCE.

POINTING OUT THE GROWTH IN BUILDING ACCIDENT CASUALTIES, HE SAID: +IN 1970 WE HAD 41 DEAD AND 1,740 INJURED. IN 1971, THERE WERE 43 DEAD AND 3,875 INJURED, THEN IN 1972 IT CLIMBED AGAIN WITH 65 DEAD AND 4,435 INJURED.

+LAST YEAR IT WAS SOME 5,000 INJURED AND AGAIN OVER 60

KILLED.

+THAT MEANS AT LEAST ONE DEATH A WEEK AND ABOUT 15 PEOPLE SERIOUSLY INJURED EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK.

+ONE OF EVERY SIX WORK ACCIDENTS IN HONG KONG IS NOW HAPPENING ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE, AND THE OVERALL WORK ACCIDENT RATE IS MOVING AT TWICE THE LEVEL OF THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT RATE.

+MOST OF THESE ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY WORKERS FALLING FROM HEIGHTS OR TRIPPING OVER OBJECTS, BY EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES, BY LIFTING MACHINERY, ELECTRICAL FAULTS, AND EARTH SLIDES.

+AND EVERY SINGLE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

+IT IS UP TO EVERY EMPLOYER TO PROVIDE SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR HIS EMPLOYEES AND IT IS UP TO EVERY EMPLOYEE TO COMPLY WITH SAFE WORKING PRACTICES AND TO WEAR PROPER PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, SUCH AS SAFETY HELMETS.+

MR. HENDERSON