XN000022-1980-08-06 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1980

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MR TIEN WAS SPEAKING ON THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL, WHICH WAS PASSED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THE EMPLOYERS PROPERLY PROVIDED ALL THE REQUISITE SAFETY EQUIPMENT, A WORKER CHOOSES TO IGNORE THE SAFETY RULES, OR CIRCUMVENTS THE SAFETY FEATURES OR EVEN GOES SO FAR AS TO REFUSE TO WEAR OR USE THE PROTECTIVE

EQUIPMENT PROVIDED.

BY THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE ACTS, SUCH WORKERS NOT ONLY ENDANGER THEMSELVES BUT FELLOW WORKERS AND OTHERS AS WELL.

MR TIEN WELCOMED THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO GROUP OFFENCES INTO CATEGORIES WHEN CONSIDERING THE LEVEL OF THE REVISED PENALTIES, AND TO EXTEND OFFENCES COMMITTED BY OTHER PERSONS TO INCLUDE THOSE COMMITTED BY THE WORKERS THEMSELVES.

HOWEVER, HE OPINED THAT PENALTIES BY THEMSELVES WERE NOT ENOUGH TO ENSURE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

+THERE MUST, IN PARALLEL, BE AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, INCLUDING A WIDE-SPREAD PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, SO AS TO ENABLE BOTH EMPLOYERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO RECOGNISE INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS AND UNSAFE ACTS AND BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY,+

HE SAID THAT SAFETY TRAINING IS PART OF THE SYLLABUS AT THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING CENTRE AND THE INSTRUCTORS THERE ATTENDED COURSES AT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE.

TRAINEES AT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING CENTRE, AND THE APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES AT THE GOVERNMENT'S TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES RUN BY OTHER AGENCIES, RECEIVE TRAINING IN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AS PART OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COURSES, HE ADDED.

+BUT THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER IN OUR INDUSTRIAL WORKFORCE WHO HAVE NEVER HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING PROPERLY TAUGHT THE DO'S AND DON'T'S OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

+THEY SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO A WIDESPREAD PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, AND SELECTED PERSONNEL FROM EVERY INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING SHOULD BE SENT ON A SAFETY COURSE SO THAT THERE WILL BE A RIPPLE EFFECT ON THE IR RETURN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANISATIONS.

*WHAT IS BASICALLY NEEDED, IS TO INCULCATE IN EVERYONE IN INDUSTRY A DEEP AND ABIDING SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE SAFETY OF OTHERS,+ MR TIEN SAID.

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