XN000022-1983-03-09 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1983

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CAUSE OF GASSING INCIDENT EXPLAINED

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IN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S VIEW, THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE GASSING INCIDENT IN A SAN PO KONG FACTORY IN JANUARY WAS FAILURE BY THE FACTORY PROPRIETOR TO OBSERVE EXISTING REGULATIONS REGARDING VENTILATION OF WORKROOMS.

HOWEVER, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL BE EXAMINING THE ADEQUACY OF THE VARIOUS SAFETY REGULATIONS IN THE LIGHT OF THE INCIDENT TO SEE IF AMENDMENTS TO THE EXISTING REGULATIONS OR NEW REGULATIONS WOULD ASSIST IN THE PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES FROM TOXIC SUBSTANCES.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE KON J.N. HENDERSON, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON THE INCIDENT BY DR THE HON HARRY FANG.

THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, MR HENDERSON CONTINUED, WILL CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE SAFETY REGULATIONS CONCERNING GENERAL VENTILATION OF WORKROOMS AND LOCAL EXHAUST SYSTEMS FOR SPECIAL PROCESSES.

AT THE SAME TIME, STAFF OF BOTH THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE AND THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION WILL CONTINUE TO ADVISE FACTORY PROPRIETORS ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADEQUATE VENTILATION OF WORKROOMS. DURING THE IR VISITS TO FACTORIES, THEY WILL PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO PROCESSES WHICH MAY GENERATE TOXIC GASES WITHOUT ADEQUATE VENTILATION.

IN THE DEPARTMENT'S ON-GOING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME, SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE PREVENTION OF POISONING BY TOXIC GASES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ADEQUATE VENTILATION IN THE WORKROOMS.

EARLIER, MR HENDERSON POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPRIETOR OF THE FACTORY CONCERNED FAILED TO INSTALL LOCAL EXHAUST SYSTEMS TO A NEW PRINTING PROCESS WHICH USED ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT AND PERCHLOROETHYLENE. THE PROCESS GENERATED OZONE AND PHOSGENE WHICH, IN THE ABSENCE OF +PROPER EXHAUST+, ACCUMULATED IN THE WORKROOMS.

DURING A VISIT TO THE FACTORY WITHIN AN HOUR OF RECEIVING A REPORT, MR HENDERSON CONTINUED, AN OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENIST FOUND A NEW PRINTING PROCESS HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON FIVE MACHINES WITHOUT CONNECTING THEM TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEMS.

ALL THESE MACHINES HAD STOPPED OPERATION SINCE THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE NEW PROCESS WAS NO LONGER IN OPERATION AND NO EVIDENCE OF ACTIVE TOXIC AGENT WAS FOUND IN THE ENVIRONMENT ATHE TIME OF THE VISIT.

FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, STAFF OF THE OCCUPATIONAL WEALTH DIVISION AND THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE CONTINUED THEIR INVESTIGATIONS, AND EXAMINATION OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEM, THE NEW PRO ESS AND MATERIALS USED, AND A REVIEW OF THE FINDINGS SUGGESTED POSSIBLE TOXIC AGENTS FROM THE PROCESS AS OZONE, PHOSGENE OR CXIDES C NITROGEN.

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