XN000022-1976-11-10 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1976

MR. PRICE POINTED OUT THAT MUCH REMAINED TO ENCOURAGE PRACTICAL SAFETY MEASURES TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE BASIC PROTECTIVE REGULATIONS.

+ INDEED,+ HE SAID, THESE ARE A LAUNCHING-PAD FOR FURTHER PROGRESS RATHER THAN AN END IN THEMSELVES.+

HE DISCLOSED THAT HE HAD OBTAINED SOME USEFUL GUIDELINES FOR THIS PROGRESS FROM THE LABOUR ADVISER'S REPORT.

MR. PRICE SAID HE WOULD NOT RULE OUT FURTHER SAFETY REGULATIONS IN APPROPRIATE CASES BUT THAT THESE WERE LIKELY TO BE CONFINED TO THE REVISION OF EXISTING ONES.

HE ADDED THAT IT MIGHT ALSO BE NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH NEW HAZARDS ARISING FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF MORE SOPHISTICATED PROCESSES.

WITH REGARD TO SAFETY IN THE WORK-PLACE, MR. PRICE SAID THIS WAS A MATTER OF ATTITUDE OF MIND BOTH ON THE PART OF THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE AND THEREFORE MUCH OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S ENERGIES WOULD BE EXPANDED IN THE TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF SAFETY. +BUT | MUST WARN THAT PROSECUTION WILL BE USED WHERE NECESSARY.+

HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT FUNDS WOULD BE FORTHCOMING FOR A SPECIAL SAFETY EXHIBITION AND CAMPAIGN ON THE GUARDING OF MACHINERY IN MARCH NEXT YEAR BEFORE THE RELEVANT NEW REGULATIONS CAME INTO FORCE.

TURNING TO THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, MR. PRICE SAID FINAL PROPOSALS HAD BEEN DRAWN UP IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ACCIDENT INSURANCE ASSOCIATION FOR A SILICOSIS INSURANCE SCHEME TO PROTECT WORKERS.

BUT, HE SAID, IF THERE WAS ANY IMPEDIMENT TO PROGRESS HE WOULD ADVISE THAT THE EXISTING PROPOSALS BE ABANDONED AND A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SOLUTION BE SOUGHT.

+THIS SCHEME HAS ALREADY BEEN DELAYED TOO LONG AND WE OWE IT TO WORKERS TO FIND, IN THE COURSE OF THIS SESSION, A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS, WHETHER BY THE METHOD ALREADY PROPOSED OR BY AN ALTERNATIVE, HE SAID,

AND AS PART OF A CONTINUING REVIEW OF THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, HE SAID, HE WOULD BE PROPOSING A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS. THESE INCLUDE REDUCING DELAYS IN PAYMENTS AND EXTENDING THE SCOPE OF THE ORDINANCE WHICH AT PRESENT IN THE CASE OF NON-MANUAL WORKERS IS RESTRICTED TO THOSE EARNING $2,000 A MONTH OR LESS, BY PUTTING FORWARD A NEW LIMIT, PROBABLY OF $5,000 A MONTH.

/MR. PRICE