XN000022-1981-04-18 — Page 5

SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1981

MUCH HAD BEEN SAID RECENTLY ABOUT THE MANNER IN WHICH COMPULSORY EDUCATION HAD POSSIBLY TAKEN SOME OF THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT OUT OF EDUCATION AND CONSEQUENTLY CONTRIBUTED TO BOREDOM

IN SCHOOL.

SOME HAD EVEN GONE SO FAR AS TO SEE A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN COMPULSORY EDUCATION AND REPORTS OF RISING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND OTHERS WERE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED WITH THE APPARENT COLLAPSE OF MORAL STANDARDS AND THE NEED TO PROMOTE MORAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS.

+WHERE DO TEACHERS STAND IN ALL THIS GLOOM AND DOOM?+ MR HAYE ASKED.

THE TEACHER HAS A CARDINAL ROLE TO PLAY IN COMBATTING BOREDOM, IN PROMOTING INTELLIGENT AND RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR AND IN INCULCATING A HORAL SENSE OF VALUES IN CHILDREN, HE SAID.

EDUCATION INTERFLOW WEEK WAS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONALS GATHERED TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, TO SHARE EXPERIENCES AND TO RETURN ENRICHED TO THE IR REWARDING TASK IN EDUCATION, THE DIRECTOR CONCLUDED.

SAFETY OF WORK AT HEIGHTS

WORKING AT HEIGHTS

-

****

WHETHER ON A SCAFFOLD, PLATFORM OR IN A BOSWAIN'S CHAIR - COULD PROVE FATAL IF NO ADEQUATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN.

THEREFORE BOTH BUILDING CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES SHOULD STRICTLY OBSERVE ALL SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS LAID DOWN IN THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS, 1978, SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY (SATURDAY).

THE PLEA WAS PROMPTED BY A NUMBER OF RECENT FATAL ACCIDENTS IN WHICH WORKERS FELL FROM HEIGHTS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE REGULATIONS REQUIRE EVERY WORKING PLATFORM BE SECURELY FENCED TO A HEIGHT OF NOT LESS THAN THREE FEET IF A WORKER MAY FALL SIX FEET SIX INCHES OR MORE.

AND THE SAME PROVISION APPLIES TO EVERY OPENING IN THE FLOORS AND EVERY OTHER DANGEROUS PLACE.

WHERE WORKS ON BAMBOO SCAFFOLDS AND PLATFORMS ARE CARRIED OUT, THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED, THE CODE OF SAFE PRACTICES JOINTLY PREPARED BY THE INSPECTORATE AND THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE OBSERVED.

THE CODE RECOMMENDS THAT ERECTION, ALTERATION OR DISMANTLING OF A SCAFFOLD SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY A COMPETENT PERSON OR PERSONS AND ALL SCAFFOLDS SHOULD BE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND INSPECTED BY THESE PERSONS AND A RECORD OF SUCH INSPECTION SHOULD BE KEPT.

THERE WORKERS