XN000022-1985-11-16 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, VENDER 16, 1985

IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CAMPAIGN WILL AROUSE PUBLIC AWARENESS IN IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT OF HONG KONG WHILE RAISING FUND FOR CHARITY AT THE SAME TIME.

THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN, THE SIXTH HELD SO FAR, IS EXPECTED TO FETCH MORE THAN $880 000,

PROPER PROCEDURES STRESSED IN CHEMICAL SAFETY

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PROPER PRECAUTIONARY PROCEDURES AND GOOD DISCIPLINE ARE ESSENTIAL IN ENSURING SAFETY IN THE USE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS, THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR DARWIN CHEN, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE CHEMICAL SAFETY SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE AWUN TONG COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT AND THE HONG KONG OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ASSOCIATION, MR CHEN SAID CHEMICAL SAFETY WAS A WIDE AND COMPLEX SUBJECT,

+TO TACKLE SAFETY PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE USE OR HANDLING OF HAZARDOUS OR DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES REQUIRES SPECIALISED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL, + HE SAID.

MR CHEN SAID THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF TOXIC CHEMICALS IN USE WORLDWIDE IN INDUSTRY AND MORE WERE BEING PRODUCED YEARLY- MANY CHEMICALS WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG WITH UNCERTAIN AND EVEN UNKNOWN HAZARD POTENTIALS.

+ALL THESE MAKE THE TASK OF ACHIEVING CHEMICAL SAFETY EXCEED INGLY COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING. +

MR CHEN SAID THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD, IN RECENT YEARS, INCREASED ITS EFFORTS IN THE CONTROL OF TOXIC CHEMICALS.

+WE ARE NOW ENGAGING IN DRAFTING REGULATIONS TO CONTROL ASBESTOS AND CERTAIN OTHER CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES.

+WE ARE ALSO STUDYING THE FEASIBILITY OF CONTROLLING GENERALLY TOXIC SUBSTANCES COMMONLY USED IN INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG BY COMPULSORY LABELLING.+

MR CHEN SAID FACTORY INSPECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENT ALWAYS TRIED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON CHEMICALS USED IN VARIOUS PROCESSES DURING THE IR VISITS TO FACTORIES, AND STAFF OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION UNDERTOOK A PROGRAMME OF MONITORING AND SURVEYS AT WORKPLACES FOR CHEMICAL HAZARDS AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

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HE SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT .DUSTRY AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES HAD INCREASED THE IR AWARENESS AND INTEREST IN CHEMICAL SAFETY.

THE SEMINAR WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SUCH INTEREST AND ME CHEA CONGRATULATED THE ORGANISERS FOR MOLDING SUCH AN ORMATIVE AND USEFUL EVENT.