XN000022-1980-04-16 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1980

16

IN REPLY TO MR WONG, THE COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT THAT SOME LOCAL EXHIBITIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF PROMOTION HAD ALREADY BEEN ORGANISED. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 1979, A MOBILE UNIT STAGING PUPPET SHOWS ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY MADE 44 APPEARANCES IN 15 INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.

ALSO, BOOKLETS ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY WERE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AT THE DEPARTMENT'S DISTRICT OFFICES AND SAFETY POSTERS WERE SENT TO FACTORIES AND DISPLAYED IN INDUSTRIAL AREAS, AT MTR STATIONS AND

IN CITY DISTRICT OFFICES.

THE COMMISSIONER AGREED WITH DR HO THAT AT THE WORKPLACE LEVEL SAFETY COMMITTEES FULLY SUPPORTED BY BOTH EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS WERE AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF REDUCING INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ENCOURAGED THE SETTING UP OF SUCH COMMITTEES, AND THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE WAS VERY WILLING TO OFFER ADVICE AND HELP IN THIS RESPECT.

IN FACT, MR HAMMOND POINTED OUT, MANY LARGE INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS ALREADY HAD SUCH COMMITTEES AND THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE KEPT IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEM.

MR HAMMOND SUPPORTED MR WONG'S CALL TO EMPLOYERS TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE TRAINING OF THEIR WORKERS IN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

HE URGED EMPLOYERS AND TRADE ORGANISATIONS TO MAKE MORE USE OF THE VARIOUS SAFETY TRAINING COURSES OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE TO INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYEES BY THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE.

LAST YEAR THE CENTRE CONDUCTED 180 COURSES FOR 6 200 PEOPLE, GAVE 62 SAFETY TALKS TO STUDENTS IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES AND SCHOOLS AND ORGANISED 25 SAFETY COURSES FOR APPRENTICES.

NOTING THAT IN THE LONGER TERM INDUSTRIAL SAFETY DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON EDUCATION, MR HAMMOND SAID THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF SAFETY WAS INCLUDED IN THE SYLLABUSES OF SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL SUBJECTS.

IN THE TEACHING OF ALL SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL SUBJECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFE WORKING PRACTICES IN LABORATORIES AND WORKSHOPS WAS STRESSED.

SAFE WORKING PRACTICES WERE ALSO EMPHASISED IN ALL THE COURSES OF PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND THE POLYTECHNIC, AND INDUSTRIAL SAFETY WAS INCLUDED IN THE SYLLABUSES OF APPROPRIATE FULL-TIME COURSES.

MR HAMMOND SAID HE WAS GLAD TO SEE THE SURGE OF INTEREST IN THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY WHICH HAD BEEN SHOWN BY SEVERAL WORKERS' AND EMPLOYERS' ORGANISATIONS RECENTLY.

+ I HOPE VERY MUCH THAT THIS INTEREST WILL BE MAINTAINED AND THAT IT WILL LEAD TO AN EARLY IMPROVEMENT IN THE SITUATION. WE IN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL CERTAINLY DO OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES HAPPEN,+ HE ADDED.

MR HAMMOND ALSO SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS CONDUCTING A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE PENALTIES FOR BREACHES OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY LEGISLATION.

/AFTER THE

++++