XN000022-1974-11-13 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY *****

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING NEW LEGISLATION TO SPEED UP REPORTING OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AND CUT DOWN ON EMPLOYERS' PAPER WORK IN THE PROCESS.

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THIS WILL BE DONE BY SIMPLIFYING REPORTING PROCEDURES, WHICH AT PRESENT ARE DIFFERENT UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE:

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. IAN PRICE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY HE HAD CREATED A NEW UNIT WITHIN HIS DEPARTMENT SOME TIME AGO TO IMPROVE THE COLLECTION, CLASSIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENT STATISTICS. THE IMPROVED ANALYSIS WOULD

INDICATE MORE CLEARLY THE CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS.

+THIS WILL HELP ME TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO DEAL MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH DANGEROUS MACHINERY, AND TO USE THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE,+ HE SAID.

MR. PRICE ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SOON BE ASKED TO APPROVE IN PRINCIPLE THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S DETAILED FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

+THIS PROGRAMME DEALS MAINLY WITH SAFETY EDUCATION IN ITS BROADEST SENSE BECAUSE WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING AT ALL LEVELS LITTLE PROGRESS CAN BE MADE,+ HE SAID.

+THIS IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THE DRIVE TO IMPROVE INDUSTRIAL

SAFETY.

+THE OTHER ASPECTS - THE LONGER-TERM POLICIES OF SAFETY LEGISLATION, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE - ARE CURRENTLY BEING STUDIED BY A HIGHLY-QUALIFIED FACTORY INSPECTOR FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, ACTING AS LABOUR ADVISER TO ME.+

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