XN000022-1974-05-10 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1974

BUILDING FOREMEN, SITE AGENTS URGED TO SET GOOD EXAMPLE

IN SAFE WORK PRACTICES

THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR, MR. NEIL HENDERSON AND THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, TODAY CFRIDAY) MADE A JOINT VISIT TO MAJOR CONSTRUCTION SITES IN HONG KONG AND KOWLOON TU SEE THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S NEW CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS IN OPERATION.

THEY VISITED THE SITE OF THE $150 MILLION WORLD TRADE CENTRE PROJECT IN GLOUCESTER ROAD ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE SITE OF THE ARGYLE STREET FLYOVER COMPLEX IN KOULOON.

DUE

AT THE SITE OF THE PROPOSED 42-STOREY TRADE CENTRE FOR COMPLETION IN DECEMBER 1975 - MR. HENDERSON AND MR. MCDONALD WERE MET BY THE PROJECT ARCHITECT, MR. BRETON PENMAN OF ERIC CUMINE AND ASSOCIATES AND MR. GEOFFREY YEH, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE HSIN CHONG CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED, WHICH IS BUILDING THE SUPERSTRUCTURE.

DURING A TOUR OF THE SITE MR. YEH EXPLAINED THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION, THE PRINCIPAL EQUIPMENT USED AND THE SAFETY POLICY ADOPTED ON THE SITE.

MR. YEH SAID THE SITE FOREMAN, THE SITE AGENT AND HE HIMSELF HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED A CONSTRUCTION SITES SAFETY TRAINING COURSE AT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE. +WE HAVE FOUND THE TRAINING INVALUABLE IN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS ON THE SITE, HE SAID.

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MR. HENDERSON PRAISED MR. YEH'S COMPANY FOR ITS PROGRESSIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS SAFETY.

+SAFETY POLICIES WORK ONLY WHEN THEY ARE INITIATED AT THE TOP LEVEL, MR. HENDERSON SAID. HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING SAFETY: AUARENESS ALONG WORKERS, AND SAID

FOREMEN AND SITE AGENTS HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION, BECAUSE THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING WORKERS ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN SAFE WORK PRACTICES.

+SET THE WORKERS A GOOD EXAMPLE AND MAKE SURE THEY FOLLOW IT, HE SAID. +YOU NOT ONLY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SEEING THE JOB DONE, BUT ALSO OF MAKING SURE IT IS DONE SAFELY.+

MR. MCDONALD SAID THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE GIVING ITS COMPLETE BACKING TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IN ITS EFFORTS TO CUT BACK THE ACCIDENT TOLL IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

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+I HAVE ALREADY ISSUED A CIRCULAR TO MY STAFF STRESSING OUR SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE APPLICATION OF THE NEU SAFETY REGULATIONS, + HE SAID. THE P.W.D. HAS ALWAYS TAKEN A STRONG INTEREST IN BUILDING SAFETY, AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE NEW REGULATIONS

/+MY DEPARTMEN ................