XN000022-1982-02-19 — Page 4

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1982

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SIR PHILIP POINTED OUT THAT THE SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEES SET UP BY THE TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO WORK TOGETHER IN PROMOTING IMPROVED SAFETY MEASURES IN SOME PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES.

NO INDUSTRIAL SAFETY PROGRAMME WAS LIKELY TO SUCCEED WITHOUT THE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF ALL THOSE WHO HAD A DEGREE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, HE SAID.

GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS HAD, THEREFORE, BEEN CENTRED ON THREE MAIN AREAS THE IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY LEGISLATION, STRICTER ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW AND INTENSIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES.

IN THE LEGISLATIVE FIELD, HE ADDED. THE PENALTIES FOR BREACHES OF SAFETY LAWS HAD BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED AND NEW SAFETY REGULATIONS HAD BEEN ENACTED.

IN AN ADVANCED STAGE OF PREPARATION WERE NEW SAFETY LAWS DEALING WITH THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS' HEARING AND THE COMPULSORY EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS IN CERTAIN HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIES.

ALSO, NEW LEGISLATION IS BEING PREPARED TO IMPROVE SAFETY MEASURES FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WORKING AT

HEIGHT.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD ALSO DOUBLED THE STRENGTH OF ITS FACTORY INSPECTORATE AND REINFORCED THE EDUCATIONAL COURSES OFFERED BY ITS INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE.

IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT HAD INTENSIFIED ITS PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES TO PROMOTE SAFETY AWARENESS AND ENHANCE SAFETY SENSE AMONG EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN INDUSTRY, COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLICITY ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, TELEVISION PROGRAMMES, POSTERS, BOOKLETS AND COMPETITIONS.

IN CONCLUSION, SIR PHILIP EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE +SAFETY EXTRAVAGANZA+ WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO JOIN IN THE MOVEMENT FOR MAKING SAFETY A WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG.

SIR PHILIP LATER DECLARED THE AUDIO-VISUAL SHOW OPEN BY PERFORMING A SWITCHING-ON+ CEREMONY.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR J.N. HENDERSON, IN HIS OPENING REMARKS, SAID HE HOPED THAT THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY EXHIBITION WOULD NOT ONLY PROVIDE FREE ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BUT WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE IR AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT INTENDED TO RE-STAGE THE EXHIBITION IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IN AREAS WITH LARGE CONCENTRATIONS OF WORKERS, SUCH AS KWUN TONG, WONG CHUK HANG, TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN IN THE HOPE THAT AS MANY WORKERS AS POSSIBLE WOULD BE AWARE OF SAFETY MEASURES.

I SINCERILY