XN000022-1974-05-10 — Page 9

FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1974

+MY DEPARTIENT IS ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH ITS CONTRACTORS ABOUT THESE REGULATIONS. WE SHALL DO EVERYTHING VE CAN TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE RESPONSE BOTH TO THE REGULATIONS AND TO THE GENERAL DRIVE TO IMPROVE WORK SAFETY.

+THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE MAJOR CLIENTS OF HONG KONG'S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO FURTHER THIS CALPAIGN VILL HAVE MY TOTAL SUPPORT,+ MR. MCDONALD SAID.

AT THE SITE OF THE $37 MILLION ARGYLE STREET ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, MR. HENDERSON AND KR. MCDONALD HERE MET BY THE RESIDENT ENGINEER, 117, THEODORE HAUKINS, AND MR. DAVID HO, A DIRECTOR OF THE GAMMON CHONG KONG) LIMITED, THE PRINCIPAL P.U.D. CONTRACTOR ON THE PROJECT.

MR. HO TOLD THE PARTY THAT THREE FIRST AID ROOMS HAD BEEN SET UP IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON THE SITE AND TWO STAFF MEMBERS VERE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING FIRST AID TRAINING.

UNDER THE MEU SAFETY REGULATIONS, A SITE WITH 30 WORKERS MUST HAVE ONE PERSON TRAINED IN FINST AID, AD A SITE WITH 100 WORKERS MUST HAVE TUO.

+BECAUSE OF THE WIDE RANGE OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT USED ON THE SITE SUCH AS MOBILE CRANES, CANTRY CRANES, EXCAVATORS AND ELECTRIC HOISTS - SPECIAL SAFETY MEASURES ARE BEING ADOPTED, + MR. HO SAID.

MR. MCDONALD POINTED OUT THAT INVESTMENT IN SAFETY AND THE TIME TAKEN FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S FREE SAFETY COURSES PAID OFF IN THE CUTTING-DOWN OF ACCIDENT COSTS, IN MINIMISING DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT, AND IN GETTING THE JOB COMPLETED IN TIME.

MR. HENDERSON SAID: WITH THE BACKING OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE RECENT ESTABLISHMENT OF CLOSER LIAISON WITH THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION AND THE SOCEITY OF BUILDERS; I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS VILL FUNCTION SMOOTHLY.

+LAST YEAR MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND ANOTHER 5,000 INJURED IN CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS. THAT'S ONE IN EVERY SIX YORK ACCIDENTS IN HUNG KONG DURING THE YEAR.

+AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, 1,262 VORKERS HAVE BEEN INJURED AND 20 KILLED IN CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS.

+WE ARE DETERMINED TO SEE THIS TOLL REDUCED, HE STRESSED.