XN000022-1975-01-09 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1975.

BUILDING INDUSTRY CRITICISED OVER SAFETY STANDARDS

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EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR MR. SZETO WAI TOLD BUILDING CONTRACTORS TODAY THAT THEIR INDUSTRY HAD THE UNENVIABLE DISTINCTION OF HAVING THE WORST WORK ACCIDENT RECORD IN HONG KONG.

MR. SZETO, HIMSELF A CIVIL ENGINEER, TOLD CONTRACTORS ATTENDING THE OPENING OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S CONSTRUCTION SAFETY EXHIBITION THAT THEY HAD NOT INVESTED ENOUGH MONEY IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROGRAMMES.

+UNTIL RECENTLY, FEW CONTRACTORS PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO SAFETY ON THEIR SITES, HE SAID WHEN OPENING THE EXHIBITION, THE FIRST TO BE HELD IN HONG KONG, AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTRE SITE IN CAUSEWAY BAY.

THE EXHIBITION IS BEING STAGED TO PROMOTE A BETTER UNDER- STANDING OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS WHICH CAME INTO FORCE ON MAY 1 LAST YEAR. IT IS BEING OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED BY THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION LIMITED.

IN HIS ADDRESS, MR. SZETO POINTED OUT THAT, DURING THE THREE YEARS BETWEEN 1971 AND 1973, THERE HAD BEEN 13,455 ACCIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES, INCLUDING 169 DEATHS.

+NEARLY ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX WORKERS EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUFFERED INJURIES THROUGH ACCIDENTS WITHIN THIS SHORT PERIOD OF THREE YEARS,+ HE SAID.

+WHAT IS MORE, ONE THIRD OF ALL FATAL INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS OCCURRED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,

THOUGH

+THIS, OF COURSE IS NOT A RECORD TO BE PROUD OF IT MAY BE ARGUED THAT WORKING CONDITIONS IN A CONSTRUCTION SITE ARE LESS CONTROLLABLE THAN THOSE IN AN AVERAGE INDUSTRIAL PLANT.

+IN MY VIEW, HOWEVER, THIS TRAGIC TOLL IS DUE MAINLY TO THE LACK OF ORGANISED EFFORTS ON THE PART OF THE INDUSTRY TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND TO PROMOTE SAFETY ON CONSTRUCTION SITES.+

MR. SZETO SAID HE REGRETTED HAVING TO SPEAK SO BLUNTLY IN FRONT OF SUCH A GATHERING OF INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.

BUT, HE SAID, THE MAJORITY OF CONTRACTORS WERE ONLY TOO WILLING TO LEAVE THEIR FINANCIAL LIABILITIES TO THEIR INSURERS AND THEIR BASIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEES' SAFETY TO SUPERVISORS AND MORE JUNIOR STAFF.

+OFTEN, SAFETY HAS BECOME NOBODY'S BUSINESS, + HE SAID.

+

/+IT MUST BE

!

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