XN000022-1981-07-08 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1981

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LEGISLATION ON WORK AT HEIGHTS CONSIDERED

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS CONSIDERING INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO FURTHER ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE WORKING AT HEIGHT ON CONSTRUCTION SITES.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J.N. HENDERSON, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAL.

CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN, MR HENDERSON ADDED, TO PROVIDE MORE SPECIFICALLY AND IN MORE DETAIL FOR SAFE PLACES OF WORK ON CONSTRUCTION SITES, SUCH AS STABILITY OF WORK ING PLATFORMS, USE OF SUSPENDED SCAFFOLDS AND USE OF SAFETY BELTS AND SAFETY NETS.

THE QUESTION OF SCAFFOLDING SAFETY WOULD ALSO BE FURTHER EXAMINED.

AN ANALYSIS CONDUCTED BY FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF ALL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING FALLS OF PERSONS FROM HEIGHT ON CONSTRUCTION SITES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 1980 REVEALED THAT OUT OF THE 1 000 SUCH ACCIDENTS ONLY 47 - LESS THAN FIVE PER CENT - INVOLVED FALLS FROM SCAFFOLDS, MR HENDERSON SAID.

SPECIAL EMPHASIS WAS PUT ON SAFETY IN WORKING AT HEIGHT

IN THE CURRENT INDUSTRIAL SAFETY PROGRAMME.

A CODE OF SAFE PRACTICES ON SCAFFOLDS AND PLATFORMS HAD BEEN DRAWN UP JOINTLY BY THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION, THE HONG KONG SCAFFOLDING MERCHANTS GENERAL ASSOCIATION AND THE FACTORY

INSPECTORATE OF THE DEPARTMENT.

PARTICULAR ATTENTION WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE PRACTICABILITY OF TRANSFERRING SOME PARTS OF THE SAFETY CODE INTO LAW.

MR HENDERSON EMPHASISED THAT IN THE LONG TERM, EDUCATION AND TRAINING SHOULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN IMPROVING THE SAFETY OF SCAFFOLDING WORKERS AS IN OTHER ASPECTS OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

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