XN000022-1986-02-05 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1986

DR HO EXPRESSED REGRET THAT ANY BREACH OF THESE REGULATIONS ONLY ENTAILED A MONETARY FINE AND WONDERED WHETHER A CUSTODIAL SENTENCE IN ADDITION TO A FINE FOR A REPEATED OFFENCE WOULD MAKE THE INDUSTRIAL PROPRIETOR MORE ABIDING TO THESE REGULATIONS, ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT INVOLVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN ORDINANCE.

ALSO SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION, HON CHENG HON-KWAN SAID THERE WAS NO DOUBT WORKERS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGULATIONS AND THAT THE PROVISIONS MET MOST, IF NOT ALL, SUGGESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.

MR CHENG SAID HE WAS VERY PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN PROMPT ACTION.

HE NOTED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE REGULATIONS WAS TO PROHIBIT THE USE IN ANY INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING OF CERTAIN TYPES OF ASBESTOS, TO PROHIBIT ANY PROCESS INVOLVING THE SPRAYING OF ASBESTOS AND TO CONTROL THE USE OF OTHER TYPES OF ASBESTOS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.

+ IT IS INTENDED BY THE REGULATIONS THAT YOUNG PERSONS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE EMPLOYED IN ANY PROCESS INVOLVING ASBESTOS AND WORKERS HAVE TO BE MEDICALLY EXAMINED BEFORE BEING ENGAGED IN AN ASBESTOS PROCESS AND THEREAFTER TO BE MEDICALLY EXAMINED PERIODICALLY, HE SAID.

ANOTHER MEMBER THE HON DR THE HON CHIU HIN-KWONG, ALSO EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE MOTION.

HE SAID THE HAZARD OF ASBESTOS WAS OFTEN UNKNOWN AND ONCE DAMAGE WAS DONE, IT WAS IRREVERSIBLE AND TREATMENT COULD ONLY PREVENT FURTHER DETERIORATION,

+THE SPIRIT OF THE REGULATIONS, WHICH IS TO IMPOSE DUTIES ON THE PROPRIETOR OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS. IS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH.

AND THIS PROPOSAL IS TO BE APPLAUDED,+ DR CHIU SAID.

IT WAS HOPED THAT THROUGH THE ENACTMENT OF THE REGULATIONS, THE DANGERS CAUSED BY ASBESTOS COULD BE MINIMISED, HE ADDED.

THANKING UMELCO MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE IMPORTANT SET OF + REGULATIONS, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, REFERRED TO THE POINT RAISED CONCERNING CUSTODIAL SENTENCES, AND SAID THAT THE PRESENT LEVEL OF FINES HAD BEEN DETERMINED AFTER TAKING INTO REGARD THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENCE AND THE CORRESPONDING LEVELS OF PENALTIES IN OTHER SETS OF REGULATIONS.

+WE HOPE, THEREFORE

THEREFORE, THESE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT, BUT IF THEY PROVE NOT TO BE. WE MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER A MORE STRINGENT APPROACH, HE SAID.

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