XN000022-1986-10-29 — Page 45

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986

+THLY IN FACT FOUND ONLY THREE FACTORIES USING FLAMMABLE CLEANSING AGENTS IN THEIR FINAL STAGE OF FUR PROCESSING AND AT THE LAST INSPECTION ALL THREE HAD CEASED TO DO SO.+

MR BRIDGE SAID THIS UNDERLINED THE NEED FOR BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND TO OBSERVE GOOD SAFETY PRACTICES AT ALL TIMES.

TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS PURSUING A STRATEGY BASED ON EDUCATION, PUBLICITY AND ENFORCEMENT, HE SAID.

WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE SAFE HANDLING OF CHEMICALS, THE DEPARTMENT HAD PRODUCED FOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST FOR TELEVISION, FIVE SAFETY POSTERS AND A NUMBER OF BOOKLETS ON CHEMICALS, INCLUDING FLAMMABLE SOLVENTS, COMMONLY USED IN HONG KONG.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF A PICTORIAL LEAFLET FOR WORKERS ENGAGED IN FUR PROCESSING AND A GUIDANCE NOTE FOR MANAGEMENT WAS BEING PREPARED FOR URGENT DISTRIBUTION TO ALL RELEVANT FACTORIES.

IT WAS ALSO INTENDED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COURSES ON CHEMICAL SAFETY RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT AND TO GIVE ADDITIONAL EMPHASIS TO THIS SUBJECT IN THE CONTINUING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CAMPAIGN.

LOCALISATION POLICY BEARING FRUIT *****

THE GOVERNMENT POLICY OF GIVING PREFERENCE TO LOCAL CANDIDATES ON APPOINTMENT HAS BORNE FRUIT AS MANY OF THESE OFFICERS HAVE ACQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND GAINED PROMOTION TO DIRECTORATE LEVEL, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

HOWEVER, OVERSEAS OFFICERS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED ON AGREEMENT TERMS TO FILL POSTS FOR WHICH LOCAL TALENT WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

+ INDEED WE SHALL BE APPOINTING MORE OVERSEAS OFFICERS THIS YEAR THAN THOSE WHO WILL BE LEAVING ON COMPLETION OF THE IR CONTRACTS, + HE ADDED.

/REPLYING TO