XN000022-1980-05-11 — Page 5

SUNDAY, MAY 11, 1980

FACTORY INSPECTORATE GETS A FEMININE TOUCH

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WOMEN AT WORK IN FACTORIES, OR EVEN AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, ARE NOT AN UNCOMMON SIGHT IN HONG KONG -- BUT FEMALE FACTORY INSPECTORS ARE RARE, EVEN IN THESE DAYS.

SO FAR FIVE LADIES HAVE MADE THE BREAKTHROUGH IN WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY AN ALL MALE DOMAIN, THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

THE WOMEN INSPECTORS MRS LAU CHONG SO-MEI, MRS AUYEUNG CHU KWOK-YING, MISS CHEUNG YUEN-YEE, MISS CHAN LIN-CHING AND MISS YEUNG KIM-CHING ARE MEMBERS OF A 140-STRONG FORCE DEDICATED TO UPHOLDING LABOUR LEGISLATION AND SAFEGUARDING WORKERS' WELFARE AND SAFETY,

MRS LAU AND MRS AUYEUNG, THE MOST SENIOR, ARE NOW POSTED TO THE DEPARTMENT'S PROSECUTIONS AND TRAINING DIVISION.

THE OTHERS, WHO ARE IN THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THEIR TRAINING, ARE ATTACHED TO THE INSPECTORATE'S DIVISIONAL OFFICES.

BEFORE BECOMING FULL-FLEDGED INSPECTORS, MRS LAU AND

MRS AUYEUNG, LIKE THEIR MALE COLLEAGUES, WENT THROUGH THREE YEARS' BASIC TRAINING DESIGNED TO GROOM FACTORY INSPECTORS AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE WELL VERSED IN LABOUR LEGISLATION AND INDUSTRIAL SAFETY. IT ALSO GIVES THEM SOUND KNOWLEDGE OF HONG KONG'S INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED INDUSTRIES.

AFTER THEIR TRAINING, THEY WERE POSTED TO DIVISIONAL OFFICES AND THEIR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WERE TO INSPECT FACTORIES ENFORCE LABOUR LEGISLATION AND INVESTIGATE INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS.

VISITING FACTORIES IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE WORK OF AN INSPECTOR.

MRS LAU SAID THAT DURING A VISIT SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES ENSURED THAT EMPLOYERS COMPLIED WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS, AND CHECKED ON MATTERS RELATING TO WORKERS' SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE.

ON SAFETY, MRS LAU SAID, SHE PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION TO MACHINERY AND OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS.

+FOR EXAMPLE, WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERY DANGEROUS PART OF ANY MACHINERY IS EFFECTIVELY GUARDED AND THAT ALL PLATFORMS, PITS AND OPENINGS AND OTHER POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PLACES ARE FENCED OFF.

+WE SEE TO IT THAT ALL DOORS LEADING OUT OF A WORKPLACE OR GIVING ACCESS TO A STAIRWAY IS OF FIRE-RESISTING MATERIAL, AND THAT ALL FIRE ESCAPES AND FIRE-FIGHTING APPLIANCES ARE MAINTAINED IN GOOD ORDER AND FREE FROM OBSTRUCTION.

/+IN ADDITION,