XN000022-1982-01-06 — Page 11

VIDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1982

10

MORE LAWS FOR WORKERS' SAFETY

****

MORE SAFETY REGULATIONS ARE IN THE PIPELINE FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. J.N. HENDERSON, DISCLOSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE REGULATIONS COVER SAFE USE OF ELECTRICITY, PROTECTION OF WORKERS' HEARING, PROTECTION OF WORKERS WORKING ́AT HEIGHT AT CONSTRUCTION SITES AND EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS, HE ADDED.

MR HENDERSON WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. STEPHEN CHEONG WHO ASKED ABOUT STEPS BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ADHERE TO INDUSTRIAL SAFETY REGULATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, IS WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO IMPROVE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN HONG KONG IN THREE MAIN WAYS - BY ENACTING AND ENFORCING SAFETY LEGISLATION, BY EDUCATING INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS ON SAFETY AT WORK, AND BY AROUSING THE SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS OF ALL EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS THROUGH PUBLICITY.

IN THE LEGISLATIVE FIELD, THE MAIN EFFORT LAST YEAR HAD BEEN DIRECTED TOWARDS INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR BREACHES OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND ALL 20 SETS OF SAFETY REGULATIONS,

+ I HOPE TO TABLE THE PROPOSED ELECTRICITY SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THIS COUNCIL SHORTLY. ALSO IN THE PIPELINE FOR ENACTMENT ARE THE REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS' HEARING, THE EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS, AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS AIMED AT THE PROTECTION OF PERSONS WORKING AT HEIGHT IN CONSTRUCTION SITES, HE ADDED.

TO ENSURE THAT LEGISLATION IS PROPERLY OBSERVED BY BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE CONDUCTED 55 000 VISITS AND INSPECTIONS TO FACTORIES AND CONSTRUCTION SITES LAST YEAR. IN ADDITION, IT ALSO CARRIED OUT 4 000 INVESTIGATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP VISITS IN CONNECTION WITH INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, RESULTING IN 3 800 PROSECUTIONS AND FINES TOTALLING $4 700 000.

MR HENDERSON SAID THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE OFFERED COURSES TO 7 900 PEOPLE LAST YEAR. TRAINING OFFICERS GAVE TALKS ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TO 10 000 WORKERS AND STUDENTS FROM FACTORIES, TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTION, AS WELL AS SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY IS ALSO PLAYING ITS PART BY INCORPORATING SAFETY INSTRUCTION IN ITS TRAINING COURSES.

MR HENDERSON SAID PROGRAMMES TO PROMOTE SAFETY AWARENESS AND ENHANCE SAFETY SENSE AMONG EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN

INDUSTRY BECAME MORE SOPHISTICATED AND EXTENSIVE LAST YEAR.

/11