XN000022-1986-11-04 — Page 9

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1986

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CISAP PROVIDING SOUND BASE FOR SAFETY COUNCIL

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ALTHOUGH HONG KONG DOES NOT HAVE A STATUTORY SAFETY COUNCIL AT PRESENT. IT DOES HAVE A STRONG TRIPARTITE MOVEMENT IN THE PROMOTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, A LABOUR DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE SAID THE MOVEMENT, LED BY THE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION (CISAP) AND ITS SIX INDUSTRY-BASED SUB-COMMITTEES, WAS GAINING MOMENTUM IN RECENT YEARS.

THE SPOKESMAN WAS COMMENTING ON CRITICISMS IN THE MEDIA OVER THE DELAY IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COUNCIL IN HONG KONG.

HE SAID HE AGREED THAT A STATUTORY SAFETY COUNCIL WOULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BY PROVIDING ADVICE TO THOSE CONCERNED AND HELPING TO RAISE SAFETY STANDARDS, KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES AND TRADES.

+BUT THIS ROLE IS CURRENTLY BEING FILLED BY CISAP AND ITS SUB-COMMITTEES, HE SAID.

ESTABLISHED IN 1978 UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD TO FOSTER A VOLUNTARY SAFETY MOVEMENT, CISAP IS MADE UP OF SIX UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FROM THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD, SIX REPRESENTATIVES FROM INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, FOUR SAFETY PROFESSIONALS, FOUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND THE CHAIRMEN FROM THE SIX INDUSTRY-BASED SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEES.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, IT HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN PROMOTING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY THROUGH A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES.

THESE INCLUDED THE ISSUE OF CODES OF PRACTICE PREPARED BY THE VARIOUS SUB-COMMITTEES AND THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, PLANNING AND ORGANISING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY PROMOTIONAL EXHIBITIONS AND SEMINARS, ADVISING ON THE ANNUAL PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN PROPOSALS, ESTABLISHING A FORUM FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS ON PRACTICAL METHODS OF MEETING STATUTORY SAFETY STANDARDS, AND RECOMMENDING THE BEST MEANS OF PROVIDING A TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE FOR MATTERS OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH.

+THROUGH CISAP AND ITS INDUSTRY-BASED SUB-COMMITTEES, AN EXCELLENT WORKING RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATIONS AND WORKERS UNIONS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/+THIS GROWING ...