XN000022-1975-03-31 — Page 2

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MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1975

EMPLOYERS URGED TO REPORT INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS EARLY STREAMLINED REPORTING PROCEDURE EFFECTIVE TOMORROW

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. IAN PRICE, SAID TODAY HE WAS CONCERNED BY THE TARDINESS OF SOME EMPLOYERS IN REPORTING INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THEIR STAFF.

HE REVEALED THAT HE HAD PERSONALLY DEALT WITH 20 LATE REPORTING CASES RECENTLY - INCLUDING ONE REPORT FILED 227 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

MR. PRICE SAID THERE WAS NO REAL EXCUSE FOR SUCH LATE REPORTS AND THERE WOULD BE EVEN LESS FROM TOMORROW (APRIL 1) WHEN A STREAMLINED REPORTING PROCEDURE COMES INTO EFFECT.

THE SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE IS COVERED BY THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1975 WHICH WERE APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN JANUARY.

THE OLD SYSTEM REQUIRED TWO SEPARATE WRITTEN REPORTS OF AN ACCIDENT TO BE MADE TO TWO UNITS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT UNDER TWO DIFFERENT ORDINANCES,

UNDER THE STANDARDISED PROCEDURES OF THE NEW REGULATIONS, AN EMPLOYER WOULD ONLY NEED TO MAKE A WRITTEN OR ORAL REPORT TO A FACTORY INSPECTOR WITHIN 24 HOURS OF AN ACCIDENT.

MR. PRICE SAID AN ORAL REPORT MUST DE FOLLOWED BY A WRITTEN REPORT UNDER SECTION 15 OF THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THE ACCIDENT.

FATAL WORK ACCIDENTS MUST ALSO BE REPORTED TO THE POLICE WITHIN 24 HOURS, AS PREVIOUSLY.

MR. PRICE SAID HE WAS GREATLY PERTURBED BY THE RECENT CASES HE HAD ENCOUNTERED OF LATE REPORTING OF ACCIDENTS AT WORK.

+I PERSONALLY WROTE TO THE COMPANIES INVOLVED DRAWING THEIR ATTENTION TO THE DELAYS AND ASKING THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES OF THEM, THEY HAVE ALL REPLIED, AND IN MOST CASES INADEQUATE SUPERVISION WAS THE MAIN REASON OR VORKERS HAD FAILED TO PROVIDE THEIR EMPLOYERS WITH DETAILS OF THEIR MEDICAL TREATMENT, HE SAID,

+DELAY IN REPORTING WORK ACCIDENTS AFFECTS THE PROMPT INVESTIGATION OF SUCH ACCIDENTS WITH A VIEW TO PREVENTING FURTHER OCCURRENCES, AND UNNECESSARILY DELAYS THE PROMPT PROCESSING OF WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION.+

MR. PRICE SAID HIS DEPARTMENT WOULD SOON ISSUE A PUBLISHED GUIDE TO INFORM FACTORY EMPLOYERS AND OTHER PROPRIETORS OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS.

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