XN000022-1986-12-19 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1986

+ IN SHORT, FOR ANY SUBSTANTIAL AND LASTING IMPROVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TO BE ACHIEVED, CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IS ESSENTIAL,+ MR HAMMOND SAID.

+TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS TRYING ITS BEST TO CONSOLIDATE THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE SO FAR AND TO WORK TOWARDS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS WHICH OCCUR, AND IMPROVING SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK.+

MR HAMMOND SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS ALSO WORKING ON A PROPOSAL TO STRENGTHEN THE VOLUNTARY SAFETY MOVEMENT BY ESTABLISHING AN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL.

+THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH THIS COUNCIL WAS PRESENTED TO THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION WHEN IT MET ON DECEMBER 5,+ HE SAID.

+THE BOARD GAVE ITS FULL SUPPORT TO THE PROPOSAL AND, PROVIDED THAT WE CAN RAISE THE MONEY TO SUPPORT THE COUNCIL'S OPERATIONS, I HOPE IT WILL BE SET UP SOON.+

THE COUNCIL WOULD SEEK TO PROMOTE SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORKPLACES IN BOTH THE INDUSTRIAL AND NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTORS.

IT WOULD ALSO ORGANISE TRAINING COURSES, UNDERTAKE PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES THROUGH PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS, PROVIDE CONSULTANCY SERVICES, AND CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE BOARD'S TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION AND ITS SIX INDUSTRY-BASED SUB- COMMITTEES WOULD CONTINUE TO BRING TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES OF EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND THE GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR THE COMMON OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING SAFETY AND HELATH AT WORK.

REFERRING TO LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT, MR HAMMOND SAID THREE SETS OF SAFETY REGULATIONS HAD BEEN INTRODUCED THIS YEAR.

THESE INCLUDED THE ASBESTOS SPECIAL REGULATIONS, SAFETY OFFICERS AND SAFETY SUPERVISORS REGULATIONS, AND CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES REGULATIONS. A NEW SET OF REGULATIONS DEALING WITH THE CLASSIFICATION AND LABELLING OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES WAS BEING PREPARED.

ON ENFORCEMENT, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT PLANNED TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE AND THE STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE, AND TO OFFER MORE SAFETY TRAINING COURSES TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMANDS OF INDUSTRY.

DURING THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, HE SAID, FACTORY INSPECTORS CARRIED OUT ALMOST 63 000 INSPECTIONS OF FACTORIES, INCLUDING A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AND DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES.

/AS ▲