XN000022-1986-06-23 — Page 2

MONDAY, JUNE 23, 1986

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ESSENTIAL

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PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS DESERVES THE INCREASING ATTENTION OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, T... DIRECTA OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE REGIONAL MEETING OF THE AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY SOME 60 PARTICIPANTS, MAINLY DOCTORS FROM AUSTRALIA, CHINA, THE U.S., SINGAPORE AND HONG KONG.

THE MEETING, HELD FOR THE FIRST TIME BY THE COLLEGE OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA, WILL LAST FOR THREE DAYS WITH DISCUSSIONS ON +HEALTH AT WORK+ AS THE MAIN THEME.

DR THONG SAID HEALTH AT WORK WAS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG AS IT WAS TO ALL OTHER COUNTRIES, BOTH DEVELOPED AND THE DEVELOP ING.

HE POINTED OUT THE PRINCIPLE ADVOCATED BY RAMAZZINI THAT +MEDICINE HAS A DUTY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORKER THAT HE MAY FOLLOW HIS CALLING WITHOUT HARM+ WAS AS RELEVANT TODAY AS WHEN IT WAS FIRST PROPOUNDED.

WITH EVER-INCREASING INDUSTRIALISATION AND ADVANCE IN TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD, NEW HAZARDS WERE BEING INTRODUCED, ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF CHEMICAL RESPONSE, HE SAID.

+THUS, PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS DESERVES THE INCREASING ATTENTION OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AS WELL AS THE APPLICATION OF EXPERTISE IN THIS SPECIALTY, HE ADDED.

WITH THE TEMPO OF INDUSTRIAL ISATION IN HONG KONG PICKING UP, THE WORK OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN ON THE INCREASE.

STAFFED BY PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE DIVISION PURSUED AN AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY OF SURVEYS TO ASSESS CONDITIONS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF LOCAL WORKING PLACES.

DR THONG SAID THIS LED TO THE PUBLICATION OF CODES OF PRACTICE AND OTHER ACTIONS NECESSARY TO PREVENT OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD.

IN ADDITION, THE BASIC FACTORY LEGISLATION WAS REINFORCED AS NEEDED BY REGULATIONS FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE DEALING WITH ASBESTOS, NOISE AND CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES, AND SPECIAL EFFORTS WERE DIRECTED TO THE OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD OF SILICOS IS AND BYSSINOSIS.

L.