XN000022-1980-10-05 — Page 5

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1980

MRS DOE SAID PROBATION OFFICERS HAD TO MAKE USE OF THEIR SOCIAL WORK KNOWLEDGE, APART FROM STATUTORY SUPERVISION, TO ACHIEVE THE AIM OF REFORMING PROBATIONERS.

+THEY HELP THE OFFENDERS BY WAY OF FRIENDSHIP AND GUIDANCE, AND GIVE THEM THE ENCOURAGEMENT THEY NEED DURING THEIR PROBATION PERIOD, SHE SAID.

DURING THEIR REHABILITATION PROCESS, SHE ADDED, THE

ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTES A LOT TOWARDS STRENGTHENING THEIR WILLPOWER TO CHANGE AND ENHANCES THEIR CHANCE OF SUCCESSFUL RE-INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY.

PROPER HANDLING OF EARTH-MOVING MACHINES

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EARTH-MOVING MACHINERY, SUCH AS LOADERS AND EXCAVATORS, SHOULD BE OPERATED PROPERLY AND CAUTIOUSLY -- OR THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE FATAL.

THIS WARNING WAS GIVEN TODAY BY A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF TWO WORKERS AND INJURY TO FOUR OTHERS IN TWO RECENT CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING AN EARTH-MOVER AND A FORK-LIFT TRUCK.

HE POINTED OUT THAT EARTH-MOVING MACHINERY WAS NOW COMMONLY USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. +NO DOUBT, THEY ARE EFFECTIVE MACHINES IF OPERATED PROPERLY, BUT CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN MISHANDLED.+

THE SPOKESMAN CITED THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:

* RUNNING INTO THE SEA AT RECLAMATION SITES,

*

OVERTURNING ON UNSTABLE GROUND AND ON STEEP SLOPES OR WHEN THERE IS IMPROPER BACKING AND SPEEDING.

UNTRAINED PERSONNEL AND RECKLESS DRIVERS ARE BELIEVED TO BE

THE MAIN CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

+THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY PUTTING THEIR OWN LIVES AT STAKE BUT ALSO ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF OTHERS, HE ADDED.

MEANWHILE, HE URGED ALL BUILDING CONTRACTORS TO ENSURE THAT ONLY TRAINED OPERATORS WERE ALLOWED TO DRIVE EARTH-MOVING MACHINERY OR ANY MOBILE EQUIPMENT ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE AND TO FORBID THE CARRYING OF PASSENGERS ON SUCH EQUIPMENT.

APART FROM TEACHING THE DRIVERS ALL THE RELEVANT DRIVING SKILLS THEY SHOULD BE EDUCATED TO ALWAYS PLAY SAFETY FIRST+.

+BOTH CONTRACTORS AND DRIVERS SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT ALL OPERATING CONDITIONS ON THE SITE ARE SUITABLE FOR THE MACHINE THEY

INTEND TO USE BEFORE STARTING WORK, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

HE ADDED THAT FORK-LIFT TRUCKS WERE DESIGNED FOR USE ON SMOOTH SURFACES, AND SHOULD NOT BE USED ON ROUGH TERRAIN.