XN000022-1983-01-07 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1983

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SAFETY PLEA TO WORKERS AND UNIONS

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INDUSTRIAL WORKERS AND LABOUR UNIONS WERE URGED TODAY (FRIDAY) TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEES FORMED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD.

THE PLEA WAS MADE BY THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, DR J.W. HAYES, WHEN HE THANKED MEMBERS OF THE LAB COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE CURRENT WORK SAFETY MOVEMENT.

DR HAYES, WHO IS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, OBSERVED THAT ON THE SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEES THERE WAS A GREAT NEED FOR CONTINUING REGULAR ATTENDANCE, INTEREST AND INPUT FROM THE EMPLOYEES' SIDE.

HE ASSURED EMPLOYEES AND UNIONS THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION WAS VITAL AND THAT THEIR ATTENDANCE WAS NEEDED AND VALUED.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, HE ADDED, PARTICULARLY NEEDED THE IR PRACTICAL ADVICE AND HELP WITH DRAWING UP CODES OF PRACTICES. WHICH WOULD ENABLE STANDARDS TO BE ESTABLISHED AND INFORMATION GUIDES DISTRIBUTED IN ADVANCE OF DRAWING UP NEW SAFETY LEGISLATION.

MOREOVER, LABOUR UNIONS COULD HAVE A GREAT INFLUENCE ON THEIR MEMBER BODIES, AND BY THEIR EXAMPLE ON A WIDER PUBLIC.

CITING AN EXAMPLE, DR HAYES POINTED OUT THAT THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEE WAS NOW WORKING ON A CODE OF PRACTICE.

+ HOPE THAT, TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S AND THE EMPLOYERS' MEMBERS, THE EMPLOYEES' REPRESENTATIVES WILL DO ALL THEY CAN TO HELP. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ENCOURAGE AND GUIDE THEIR CONTRIBUTION.+

DR HAYES TOLD THE MEMBERS THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO REACH OUT TO DISTRICT OFFICES AND DISTRICT BOARDS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS TO CONVINCE THEM THAT SAFETY AT WORK WAS JUST AS WORTHY OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT AS, SAY, SPORT AND RECREATION.

TO THIS END, THE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING THE INITIATIVE BY ENCOURAGING MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS TO VISIT THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING ITS INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE.

EARLIER, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, ACCOMPANIED BY DR HAYES, AND ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR YIU YAN-NANG, AND OFFICERS OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE. SPENT THREE HOURS IN THE MORNING VISITING THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC INDUSTRIAL CENTRE.