XN000022-1976-08-04 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1976

MR. PRICE SAID HE ENVISAGED A FURTHER PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX MONTHS WHEN THE REGULATIONS WOULD BE ENFORCED WITH DISCRETION.

AN EXPLANATORY HANDBOOK IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE ON THE NEW REGULATIONS WOULD BE PRINTED FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION TO EMPLOYERS IN DUE COURSE. THIS WOULD ILLUSTRATE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF GUARDING SUITABLE FOR THE MORE COMMONLY FOUND MACHINES.

MR. PRICE URGED INDUSTRIALISTS AND ALL THOSE USING OR WORKING ON MACHINERY TO CLOSELY STUDY THE NEW REGULATIONS WHICH HAD BEEN DRAFTED WITH THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY IN MIND.

FURTHER REGULATIONS MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WITH THE SAME OBJECT WERE ALSO APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL. THESE WERE THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (DRY BATTERIES) REGULATIONS.

MOVING THE RESOLUTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE REGULATIONS, MR. IAN PRICE, SAID THE AIM WAS TO CONTROL THE HAZARDS POSED BY CARBON BLACK, MANGANESE DIOXIDE AND AMMONIUM CHLORIDE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DRY BATTERIES.

HE EXPLAINED THAT CARBON BLACK CAUSED IRRITATION TO THE EYES MANGANESE DIOXIDE WAS TOXIC AND COULD HAVE CUMULATIVE POISONOUS EFFECTS ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM- AND AMMON I UM CHLORIDE COULD CAUSE DERMATITIS.

BUT THE MAIN RISK, MR. PRICE SAID, WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF POISONING BY MANGANESE DIOXIDE WHICH MIGHT BE INGESTED,

INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN.

THE MEASURES TO CONTROL THESE HAZARDS ARE:-

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PROPER VENTILATION OF WORKPLACES TO KEEP CONTAMINANTS IN THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN SAFE LIMITS=

SEGREGATION OF CERTAIN PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURE, AND PROPER STORAGE OF THE CONSTITUENT CHEMICALS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CONTAMINATION-

REQUIRING PROPRIETORS TO PROVIDE AND WORKERS TO USE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING TO AVOID CONTACT WITH THESE CHEMICALS-

MAINTAINING A MINIMUM STANDARD OF CLEANLINESS FOR WORKPLACES=

AND

PROVIDING WASHING FACILITIES FOR WORKERS.

MR. PRICE POINTED OUT THAT PRESENT CONTROL BY WAY OF SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE WAS UNSATISFACTORY IN THAT SUCH REQUIREMENTS COULD ONLY BE IMPOSED AFTER THE PROCESS HAD BEEN IN OPERATION.

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