XN000022-1984-02-16 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1984

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS URGED

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FACTORY PROPRIETORS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED THAT DANGEROUS PARTS OF MACHINES SHOULD BE EFFECTIVELY GUARDED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF WORKERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT EMPLOYERS FAILING TO FENCE OFF THESE MACHINES MAY FACE A MAXIMUM FINE OF $30 000 ON CONVICTION.

HE SAID THAT WORKERS HAVE FREQUENT AND OFTEN INEVITABLE ACCESS TO POINTS OF OPERATION OF A MACHINE.

INJURIES RESULTING FROM MACHINERY ACCIDENTS ARE OFTEN SERIOUS AND CAN LEAD TO AMPUTATION OF FINGERS, A HAND OR ARM AND MORE SERIOUSLY, PERMANENT DISABILITY FOR THE INJURED.

+STATISTICS SHOWED THAT THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 11 483 INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY MACHINERY LAST YEAR, OF WHICH 19 WERE FATAL CASES, HE SAID.

WORKERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HANDLING MACHINES WITH PROJECTIONS ON REVOLVING PARTS ARE ALSO REMINDED NOT TO WEAR COTTON GLOVES OR LOOSE CLOTHINGS DURING OPERATION.

THE ENTANGLEMENT OF COTTON GLOVES WITH THE MOVING PARTS MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF A HAND OR AN ENTIRE ARM.

+WHILE FACTORY MANAGEMENT SHOULD EXERCISE STRICT SUPERVISION TO ENSURE SAFETY MEASURES, WORKERS SHOULD ON THEIR PART FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

WORKERS WHO WILFULLY AND WITHOUT REASONABLE CAUSE REMOVE THE SAFETY DEVICES ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10 000 ON CONVICTION.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

HONOUR FOR GIRL WHO SAVED WORKER

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AN 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL, CHUI PUI-SHAN, WHO SAVED A WORKER FROM A FATAL FALL ON MONDAY (FEBRUARY 13), WILL BE THE GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S SAFETY EXTRAVAGANZA+ TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

PUI SHAN, A PRIMARY SIX PUPIL, HAS BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THE OPENING BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR RON BRIDGE, IN APPRECIATION OF HER PROMPT ACTION IN SAVING THE WORKER.

/ON MONDAY