XN000022-1985-12-15 — Page 11

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1985

HE POINTED OUT THAT TAI PO WAS A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING COMMUNITY AND THAT DURING THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE MIGHT ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS BUT THEY SHOULD ACCEPT NEW IDEAS.

+LOCAL LEADERS SHOULD BE UNITED AND WORK FOR A BETTER

COMMUNITY, + HE ADDED.

A DISTRICT ARTS PARADE FEATURING MUSIC AND DANCE PERFORMANCES MARKED THE OPENING OF THE TAI PO FESTIVAL WHICH WILL LAST FOR TWO MONTHS WITH ABOUT 60 EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES.

NOTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR NEW FACTORIES ******

PROPRIETORS WHO INTEND TO SET UP FACTOR IES ARE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT OF PARTICULARS BEFORE THEY START AN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS OR CARRY ON AN INDUSTRIAL OPERATION, CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR YIP YUK-LUN, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT, MADE UNDER AN AMENDMENT TO THE FACTOR IES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE, HAD COME INTO OPERATION SINCE AUGUST THIS YEAR TO REPLACE THE FORMER REGISTRATION SYSTEM, HE SAID.

+FACTORY OWNERS WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO GIVE THE PARTICULARS, IN A PRESCRIBED FORM OF A NOTIFIABLE WORK- PLACE OR A RELEVANT CHANGE IN THE PARTICULARS, COMMIT AN OFFENCE AND ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10 000 ON CONVICTION,+ HE SAID.

HOWEVER, WORKPLACES WHICH HAD BEEN REGISTERED OR PROVISIONALLY REGISTERED UNDER THE FORMER REGISTRATION SYSTEM WERE NOT REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT IF THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THE LOCATION, NAME, INDUSTRIAL PROCESS OR OPERATION, OR THE IDENTITY OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE WORKPLACES, HE ADDED.

MR YIP SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD ALSO ISSUED LETTERS TO NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACES WHICH WERE ALREADY ON THE RECORDS OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION BEFORE THE NEW SYSTEM CAME INTO EFFECT, EXEMPTING THEM FROM THE REQUIREMENT OF NOTIFICATION.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE EMPOWERED THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR TO ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROHIBIT THE OPERATION OF A WORKPLACE IF HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE STANDARDS OF WORKPLACE.

THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR OPERATING A NOTIFIABLE WORKPLACE IN BREACH OF A PROHIBITION NOTICE WAS $30 000, HE ADDED.

PROPRIETORS WHO HAVE QUERIES ON THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM MAY CONTACT THE DIVISIONAL FACTORY INSPECTOR IN THE IR DISTRICT FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

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