XN000022-1986-11-19 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1986

IN ADDITION, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE SETTING UP OF AN OSHC WOULD BENEFIT SMALL FACTORIES, BECAUSE DUE TO THE SMALL NUMBER OF WORKERS IN EACH FACTORY, THERE IS INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF BOTH MANAGEMENT AND WORKERS, AND POOR QUALITY TOOLS AND MACHINERY.+

ON THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF NON-FATAL INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS OVER THE YEARS, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID IT MIGHT BE DUE TO THE REDUCED NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS OR TO THE REDUCED PROVISION FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES.

HE SAID THE ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS SHOULD RAISE THE STANDARD OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN HONG KONG,

HOWEVER HE SUGGESTED THAT THE RELEVANT REGULATIONS WHICH INITIALLY APPLIED ONLY TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY COULD AND SHOULD BE APPLIED TO OTHER INDUSTRIES WHEN THERE WAS CLEAR AND FULL JUSTIFICATION TO DO SO.

MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OSHC. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MONITOR THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH TO ENSURE GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY EXPENDED, AND THAT AS THE OSHC'S ANNUAL BUDGET INCREASED, THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST CORRESPONDING SAVINGS WITHIN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

STRESSING THE NEED FOR GREATER INTERACTION IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND SAFETY PROMOTION, MR CHEONG-LEEN URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK INTO THE DESIRABILITY OF CLOSER COORDINATION IN THE CARRYING OUT OF RESEARCH, AND IN EDUCATIONAL AND PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS AS REGARDS THE MORE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF HOME SAFETY AND LEISURE SAFETY.

CALL FOR TOUGHER SAFETY LAW ENFORCEMENT *****

THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO ENFORCE MORE VIGOROUSLY THE SAFETY LAWS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS.

THE CALL WAS MADE BY THE HON HO SAI-CHU DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

THOSE WHO BLATANTLY BREACHED SAFETY REGULATIONS, PURPOSELY DISREGARDED THE LIVES OF THEIR MPLOYEES AND CONSTANTLY FAILED TO MEET THE IR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH MORE SEVERELY, HE SAID.

/THE COURTS,