XN000022-1980-09-26 — Page 6

5

-

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1980

IT ALSO ACTS AS A FORUM FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS ON PRACTICAL METHODS OF MEETING STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ON TECHNICAL AND LEGAL MATTERS ARISING FROM INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT.

+FURTHERMORE, MR LIN CONTINUED, THE COMMITTEE THROUGH THE COURSE OF ITS WORK RECOMMENDS THE BEST MEANS OF PROVIDING TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE ON MATTERS OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY COURSES FOR INDUSTRY.+

HE REVEALED THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS FORMING A SAFETY SUB- COMMITTEE IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF INDUSTRY-WIDE SUB-COMMITTEES FOR THE MORE HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG.

THE SUB-COMMITTEE, WILL COMPOSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS AND TRADE UNIONS AND WILL BE CHAIRED BY A SUPERINTENDENT OF FACTORY INSPECTORS.

APART FROM THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE HELD EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE COMMITTEE IS TO HOLD A SEMINAR FOR INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYEES TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.

+DESPITE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMMITTEE OVER ITS SHORT SPAN OF TENURE, THE VOLUNTARY INDUSTRIAL SAFETY MOVEMENT IN HONG KONG HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN.

+THE MOVEMENT STILL REQUIRES THE KEEN INTEREST, INVOLVEMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES - WHOM IN THE LONG RUN WILL STAND TO GAIN FROM SAFER AND HEALTHIER WORKING CONDITIONS BY THE SUCCESSFUL PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS AND THE ELIMINATION OF HEALTH HAZARDS,+ MR LIN CONCLUDED.

+SOCIAL WELFARE HOTLINE+ STARTS NEXT WEEK

*****

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS SET UP A +SOCIAL WELFARE HOTLINE+ TO PROVIDE QUICK ASSISTANCE IN URGENT CASES AND FACILITATE PUBLIC ENQUIRIES ABOUT ITS VARIOUS SERVICES.

THE HOTLINE WILL START ON WEDNESDAY (OCTOBER 1) ON A 24-HOUR BASIS. THE NUMBER IS 3-432255.

IT WILL BE MANNED BY A SOCIAL WORKER DURING THE DAY, WHILE OVERNIGHT ENQUIRIES WILL BE MACHINE-RECORDED FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTION THE NEXT MORNING.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) WHILE THE HOTLINE WAS TO OPERATE DAY AND NIGHT, IT WAS DESIGNED PRIMARILY TO GIVE QUICK HELP IN URGENT CASES AFTER OFFICE HOURS.

DURING OFFICE HOURS, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT'S NETWORK OF 17 FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES SERVE AS FOCAL POINTS WHERE PEOPLE IN NEED GO FOR ASSISTANCE OR INFORMATION ON WELFARE SERVICES.

/+WE HOPE