XN000022-1981-05-17 — Page 3

SUNDAY, MAY 17, 1981

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PRIOR WORKING ARRANGEMENTS ESSENTIAL DURING TYPHOON

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EMPLOYERS WERE TODAY (SUNDAY) ADVISED TO REACH PRIOR AGREEMENT WITH THE IR EMPLOYEES ON WORKING ARRANGEMENTS ON THE APPROACH OF OR DURING A TROPICAL STORM.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID THE AGREEMENT SHOULD INCLUDE RULES FOR WORK, RELEASE FROM WORK, AND THE METHOD OF CALCULATING WAGES TO BE PAID UNDER VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.

+ALTHOUGH THE LAW DOES NOT LAY DOWN ANY PARTICULAR PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW, IT IS BASICALLY A MATTER OF DECISION BETWEEN EACH EMPLOYER AND HIS EMPLOYEES, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT AND THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE'S PLACE OF RESIDENCE, AVAILABILITY OF TRANSPORT AND OTHER FACTORS, HE ADDED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID CONFUSION, OR EVEN DISPUTES, COULD ARISE IF THERE WAS A LACK OF PRIOR UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES AS TO WHAT TO DO DURING A TYPHOON.

HE ADVISED THAT THE IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER ON SUCH OCCASIONS WAS THE EMPLOYEES' SAFETY, BOTH AT THE PLACE OF WORK AND DURING THE JOURNEY TO AND FROM HOME.

+FOR EXAMPLE, EMPLOYERS SHOULD SEND THE IR EMPLOYEES HOME WHEN TYPHOON SIGNAL NUMBER EIGHT OR HIGHER IS HOISTED, OR WHEN PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS ABOUT TO STOP.

+OF COURSE, EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL AND EMERGENCY DUTIES DURING A TYPHOON WOULD BE EXCEPTIONS, HE ADDED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID EMPLOYERS COULD ALWAYS APPROACH THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR ADVICE WHEN DRAFTING OR PREPARING AGREEMENTS CONCERNING TYPHOON ARRANGEMENTS.

HEALTH MEASURES FOR SUMMER

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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY (SUNDAY) ADVISED THAT WITH THE APPROACH OF THE SUMMER SEASON THE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST CHOLERA AND OTHER GASTRO- INTESTINAL DISEASES SUCH AS TYPHOID AND DYSENTERY.

VIRAL HEPATITIS AND SICKNESS DUE TO FOOD POISONING ARE

ALSO COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM WEATHER.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THOUGH THERE HAD BEEN NO REPORT OF CHOLERA CASES IN HONG KONG SINCE AUGUST 1978, THE PUBLIC SHOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTION AGAINST THE DISEASE WHICH IS ENDEMIC IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIA REGION.

/HE POINT.0