XN000022-1986-10-16 — Page 5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1986

HIGH QUALITY LABORATORY TESTING WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY NECESSARY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE VARIETY OF MATERIALS IN USE AND DEVELOPMENTS IN MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN PROCESSES, SIR DAVID SAID.

HE NOTED THAT LAST YEAR A TOTAL OF 80 000 NEW FLATS WERE BUILT BY GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR ABOUT 300 000 PEOPLE. EVERY DAY NEW ROADS AND FLYOVERS WERE BEING BUILT TO IMPROVE THE TERRITORY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.

+ BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PURCHASERS HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT HIGH QUALITY CONSTRUCTION AND GOOD WORKMANSHIP,+ HE SAID. INADEQUATE OR DOUBTFUL MATERIAL TESTING COULD NEVER BE ACCEPTED.

SIR DAVID CONGRATULATED THE SHUI ON GROUP ON ITS INITIATIVE IN ESTABLISHING FIRST CLASS MATERIALS TESTING FACILITIES AND CONTINUAL RESEARCH TO IMPROVE MATERIAL QUALITY.

FACTORY INSPECTIONS STEPPED UP

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THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS INTENSIFIED ITS ENFORCEMENT ACTION AND HAS BROUGHT FORWARD ITS SCHEDULED INSPECTIONS OF ALL LEATHER AND FUR-PROCESSING FACTORIES.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 60 SUCH FACTORIES OPERATING IN HONG KONG AND SO FAR THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAD BEEN INSPECTED IN THE PAST FEW DAYS.

+THE ROUND OF INSPECTIONS IS STILL CONTINUING AND PROSECUTIONS FOR BREACHES OF THE RELEVANT REGULATIONS WILL BE INSTITUTED IF ANY

IRREGULARITIES ARE FOUND,+ A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT INSPECTIONS OF FACTORIES ARE CONDUCTED ON AN INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNISED RATING SYSTEM WHEREBY FACTORIES HAVING GREATER POTENTIAL HAZARDS ARE INSPECTED MORE FREQUENTLY.

IT IS UNDER THIS SYSTEM THAT CIPEL-MARCO LIMITED IN KWAI CHUNG WHERE AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED LAST WEEK WAS INSPECTED BY THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS. HOWEVER, IT MUST BE POINTED OUT THAT INSPECTIONS AND PROSECUTIONS CAN ONLY RESULT IN A TEMPORARY IMPACT.

+THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FOR EMPLOYERS WHO HAVE BOTH LEGAL AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND HEALTHY PLACE OF WORK FOR HIS WORKERS, AND FOR WORKERS TO OBSERVE SAFETY RULES AT ALL TIMES.+

/ON THE