XN000022-1984-04-25 — Page 25

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1984

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+AN ANALYSIS OF COST ESTIMATES AND PROJECT PLANS ENABLES COSTS DUE TO AGREED IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY TO BE SEPARATED FROM THOSE ARISING OUT OF THE DESIGN FEATURES.

+THE FORMER CAN BE ACCEPTED AS REASONABLE BUT THE LATTER MAY HAVE TO BE REJECTED AS BEING LESS THAN ESSENTIAL IN THIS TIME OF STRINGENCY, MR HENDERSON SAID.

THE ADMINISTRATION HAD THEREFORE ASKED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE TWO NEW INSTITUTIONS TO BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY, HE ADDED.

+TO AVOID RECURRENCE OF THIS KIND OF SITUATION IN FUTURE, ILL BE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT, FROM THE START, DESIGN AND FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE MORE CLOSELY RELATED, HE SAID.

ON THE INCREASING DIFFICULTY OF ENFORCING THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE, MR HENDERSON SAID THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSPECTORATE FROM 72 IN 1981-82 TO 53 IN 1983-84 REFLECTED A SERVICE-WIDE POLICY TO DELETE ALL ESTABLISHMENT POSTS NOT CURRENTLY FILLED.

DUE TO RECRUITING DIFFICULTIES AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH STANDARDS REQUIRED, THE STRENGTH OF THE INSPECTORATE HAS STAYED FAIRLY CONSTANT.

EVEN SO THE INSPECTORATE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE AN +ENCOURAGINGLY HIGH LEVEL OF COVERAGE+ OF INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE DESIGNATED TRADES, WITH EACH INSPECTOR CARRYING OUT ABOUT 1 000

VISITS A YEAR, HE SAID.

MR HENDERSON ADDED THAT THE INSPECTORATE'S PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES WERE BEING EXAMINED TO DETERMINE WHETHER ITS STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS COULD BE DISCHARGED EVEN MORE EFFECTIVELY.

IT MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, BE POSSIBLE TO REORDER INSPECTION PRIORITIES TO GIVE GREATER COVERAGE TO THE WORST OFFENDERS, + HE SUGGESTED.

ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, MR HENDERSON TOLD THE COUNCIL THIS WAS A MATTER OF HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

THE PLANNED EXPANSION OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE WOULD BE CONTINUED AS SOON AS CIRCUMSTANCES PERMITTED, HE SAID.

+HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF THEIR NUMBER OR EFFECTIVENESS, FACTORY INSPECTORS CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.

+ IF WE ARE TO REDUCE ACCIDENT RATES AND LOSS OF LIFE, IT IS VITAL THAT INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES BECOME MORE SAFETY CONSCIOUS. SAFETY EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ARE THE KEY, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT, HE ADDED, WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO SEEK IMPROVE- MENT THROUGH SAFETY LEGISLATION.

MR HENDERSON ALSO TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT IT WAS NOW TIME TO INTRODUCE A POST OF COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION IN PLACE OF THE PRESENT PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY.

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