XN000022-1985-03-13 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1985

MR BRIDGE SAID FROM 1980 TO 1983, THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS REPORTED IN THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY REMAINED FAIRLY CONSTANT AT ABOUT 1 500 A YEAR; IN 1984 IT INCREASED FROM 1 518 TO 2 196.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE INCREASE WAS DUE PARTLY TO THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY LAST YEAR AND PARTLY TO THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW SIMPLIFIED SYSTEM FOR SETTLING MINOR INJURY CLAIMS.

HE SAID 1984 WAS +A BUSY YEAR FOR THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY+, PARTICULARLY IN THE SECOND AND THIRD QUARTERS.

+UNFORTUNATELY ECONOMIC RECOVERY ALWAYS SEEMS TO BRING WITH IT AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS AT WORK.

+THIS IS PARTLY A DIRECT RESULT OF THE INCREASED VOLUME OF WORK, PARTLY BECAUSE THE URGENT NEED TO COMPLETE ORDERS ON TIME PUTS PRESSURE ON BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO SKIMP ON SAFETY AND PARTLY BECAUSE NEW WORKERS ARE TAKEN ON AND THESE ARE LACKING IN EXPERIENCE AND THEREFORE PARTICULARLY ACCIDENT PRONE.+

MR BRIDGE SAID ANOTHER POSSIBLE REASON FOR THE SHARP INCREASE IN REPORTED ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR WAS THE INTRODUCTION IN JULY 1983 OF A NEW SIMPLIFIED SYSTEM FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF MINOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION CASES AND THE ENFORCEMENT IN JANUARY 1984 OF THE NEW LAW ON COMPULSORY COMPENSATION INSURANCE FOR EMPLOYEES.

+THESE CHANGES HAVE LED TO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MINOR ACCIDENTS BEING REPORTED, HE SAID.

IN 1984, HE POINTED OUT, THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS IN THE CATEGORY ASSESSED UNDER THE NEW SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE INCREASE BY ABOUT 30 PER CENT AND MUCH OF THE INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS REPORTED IN THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY CONSISTED OF COMPARATIVELY MINOR ACCIDENTS.

+IN PREVIOUS YEARS THESE MAY WELL HAVE GONE UNREPORTED BECAUSE THE COMPLICATED ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AT THAT TIME MADE THEM NOT WORTH REPORTING, HE SAID.

MR BRIDGE SAID THE DEPARTMENT'S FACTORY INSPECTORATE HAD BEEN REVIEWING ITS PRIORITY SO AS TO GIVE GREATER PRIORITY TO THE MORE HAZARDOUS WORKPLACES AND MORE INSPECTORS HAD BEEN DEPLOYED TO ACTIVITIES LIKELY TO HAVE A DIRECT AND EFFECTIVE IMPACT IN THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS.

AMENDMENTS TO THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE, HE ADDED, WERE NOW BEING DRAFTED WHICH, IF ENACTED, WOULD ENABLE THE INSPECTORATE TO SPEND LESS TIME ON COMPARATIVELY UNPRODUCTIVE WORK.

ON SAFETY EDUCATION, MR BRIDGE SAID OVER 24 000 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN COURSES AND TALKS ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR.

/HE SAID