XN000022-1986-09-04 — Page 8

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1986

+YOU WILL PROBABLY AGREE WITH ME THAT MANY ACCIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH OCCUR ON CONSTRUCTION SITES, CAN BE AVOIDED IF ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN, OR IF THE WORKERS CONCERNED HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED IN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, HE SAID.

+ IN THESE VITAL AREAS, A SAFETY OFFICER, WITH HIS SPECIALISED TRAINING IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION, HAS A VITAL PART TO PLAY.

+

MR HAMMOND SAID THAT LEGISLATION ON COMPULSORY EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS AND SAFETY SUPERVISORS WOULD SOON BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, HE SAID, REFLECTED THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH IN INDUSTRY.

IT ALSO REPRESENTED THE RESULT OF OVER FIVE YEARS' JOINT EFFORTS BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS, A SAFETY OFFICER WILL BE REQUIRED TO ASSIST THE PROPRIETOR OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN PROMOTING THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF THE PERSONS EMPLOYED, INSPECT THE WORKPLACE TO IDENTIFY RISKS, ADVISE ON PREVENTIVE MEASURES, INVESTIGATE ACCIDENTS AND DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ACCIDENT PREVENTION,

+MOST IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE SAFETY OFFICER WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE PROPRIETOR, HE WILL BE IN AN ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION TO PERSUADE AND CONVINCE OTHER EMPLOYEES ON SITE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF USING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND OBSERVING SAFE WORK PRACTICES.+ MR HAMMOND SAID.

+AT THE SAME TIME, THE PRORIETOR WILL BE OBLIGED TO ENSURE THAT HIS SAFETY OFFICERS AND SAFETY SUPERVISORS CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES PROPERLY AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ALL NECESSARY ASSISTANCE AND FACILITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS AIM.

+1 AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS JOINT EFFORT OF THE PROPRIETOR, THE SAFETY OFFICER AND EMPLOYEES CONCERNED WORKING TOGETHER WILL PROVE TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE MEANS OF ENSURING SAFETY AT WORK.+

MR HAMMOND ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE CONTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY FOR ITS FORESIGHT IN ORGANISING TRAINING COURSES FOR SAFETY OFFICERS.

THROUGH ITS EFFORTS AND THOSE OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, HE SAID, THERE WOULD BE AN ADEQUATE POOL OF TRAINED SAFETY OFFICERS AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT WHEN THE REGULATIONS WERE PUT INTO EFFECT.

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