XN000022-1974-11-14 — Page 24

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1974.

SLOW PROGRESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS

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SOME OF THE LARGER BUILDING CONTRACTORS ARE MAKING THEIR OWN INTERPRETATIONS OF OFFICIAL SAFETY REGULATIONS, WHILE MANY SMALLER CONTRACTORS ARE STILL IGNORANT OF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, A LABOUR DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL SAID TODAY.

MR. STAN TSAO, LABOUR OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS UNIT, SAID THE IDEAS OF THE CONTRACTORS REGARDING THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WERE OFTEN RATHER LESS THAN THOSE ENVISAGED BY THE LAW.

SPEAKING AT A SAFETY SEMINAR ORGANISED BY JARDINE'S INSURANCE AT THE HONG KONG COUNTRY CLUB, MR. TSAO SAID THE LOCAL BUILDERS HAD SO FAR BEEN GIVEN MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO GET TO KNOW THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS WHICH CAME INTO FORCE IN MAY.

+AFTER 28 MONTHS OF GIVING PATIENT EXPLANATIONS AND ADVICE, WE HAVE SEEN ONLY SLOW PROGRESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID CONTRACTORS WERE NOT CARRYING OUT SOME OF THE SIMPLEST REQUIREMENTS OF THE REGULATIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY CERTAIN INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF STARTING AND FINISHING A PROJECT.

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· THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT EVEN PROVIDED CONTRACTORS WITH A PRINTED FORM TO MAKE IT EASY AND CONVENIENT TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.

YET IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE REGULATIONS COMING INTO FORCE, THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED THE STIPULATED INFORMATION FROM ONLY ONE THIRD OF THE BUILDING SITES IN HONG KONG.

MR. TSAO SAID THE WHOLE PICTURE OF WORK SAFETY ON CONSTRUCTION SITES WAS HOWEVER NOT COMPLETELY PITCH BLACK.

IN THE TWO MONTHS AFTER THE REGULATIONS WERE INTRODUCED REQUIRING THE WEARING OF SAFETY HELMETS - THERE WAS AN ACUTE SHORTAGE OF SAFETY HELMETS ON THE MARKET.

+OUR ABLE MERCHANTS WASTED NO TIME AND WERE SOON ABLE TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMERS,+ HE SAID.

+SAFETY HELMETS OF A VARIETY OF COLOURS HAVE NOW BECOME A FEATURE IDENTIFIABLE WITH CONSTRUCTION SITES IN HONG KONG.+

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