XN000022-1978-03-22 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1978

LABOUR DEPARTMENT CONCERNED WITH OCCUPATIONAL

HEALTH AND SAFETY MATTERS

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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ARE MATTERS OF GREAT

CONCERN TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WHICH AIMS TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BY EDUCATION, PERSUASION AND ADVICE, THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR (DESIGNATE), MR. J.C.A. HAMMOND, SAID TODAY.

BUT, HE ADDED, IF THESE METHODS FAILED TO MAKE A WORKPLACE SAFE, THEN FAIR AND FIRM PROSECUTION WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN,

MR. HAMMOND WAS SPEAKING AT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE AT THE CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES DURING THE PRESENTATION OF CASH AWARDS TO EIGHT STUDENTS WHO WON PRIZES IN AN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY POSTER AND SLOGAN COMPETITION JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE LABOUR AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS.

MR. HAMMOND CONTINUED: IN THE END, SUCCESS IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY WORK RESTS WITH EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS ALIKE REALISING THAT IT IS ENTIRELY IN THEIR OWN INTERESTS TO AIM AT AND TO ACHIEVE SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS AND PRACTICES.+

REFERRING TO LAST YEAR'S STATISTICS, HE SAID THERE WERE 49,854 OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS.

HE SAID ACCIDENTS CAUSED MUCH SUFFERING TO WORKERS CONCERNED AND BROUGHT MISERY TO THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ALSO DISRUPTED PRODUCTION AND COULD INVOLVE CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL LOSS FOR EMPLOYERS.

MR. HAMMOND PRAISED THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPETITION FOR THEIR INTEREST AND CONCERN ABOUT INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION.

HE SAID:+I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED THAT YOU, THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF HONG KONG, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.+

MORE THAN 367 ENTRIES FROM 23 SCHOOLS WERE RECEIVED THIS YEAR AND THE FIRST PRIZE OF $300 CASH WAS AWARDED TO ALAN LEUNG CHUN-MAN OF BISHOP BIANCHI COLLEGE OF CAREERS.

THE SECOND AND THIRD PRIZES OF $250 AND $200 WENT TO LAW SAI-KEUNG OF KOWLOON TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND YAN WAI-YEE OF BISHOP BIANCHI COLLEGE OF CAREERS RESPECTIVELY.

FIVE CONSOLATION PRIZES OF $100 EACH WERE AWARDED TO : ALLAN JIM KWOK-FAL OF DELIA MEMORIAL SCHOOL- LO SIU-FUN OF ST. CATHERINE'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS- CHAN WAI-MAN OF C.M.A. PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL- AU KWOK-CHOI OF BISHOP BIANCHI COLLEGE OF CAREERS AND ELEENA YU OF BISHOP BIANCHI COLLEGE OF CAREERS.

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