XN000022-1988-03-31 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1988

ALTHOUGH THE EXACT PERCENTAGE OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS IN 1987 HAS YET TO BE WORKED OUT, MR YIP BELIEVED IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE SAME AS FOR 1985 (12.4 PER CENT) AND 1986 (12.6 PER CENT).

"I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT INDICATORS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE'S WORK IS THE NUMBER OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS WHICH OCCUR.

"THESE NEW STATISTICS ON MAJOR ACCIDENTS SHOULD BE A GREAT HELP IN IMPROVING OUR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY EFFORTS."

TURNING TO PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS, MR YIP SAID THE NUMBER INCREASED BY 25 PER CENT LAST YEAR.

DURING THE 12-MONTH PERIOD, THERE WERE 2,026 CONVICTIONS IN THE COURTS WITH TOTAL FINES OF MORE THAN $6.5 MILLION BEING IMPOSED ON THEM. THESE FIGURES COMPARED WITH 1,617 CONVICTIONS AND $4.5 MILLION IN FINES DURING 1986.

THE AVERAGE FINES FOR 1986 AND 1987 WERE $2,800 AND $3,200 RESPECTIVELY.

MR YIP EXPLAINED THAT IN RECENT YEARS THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CONCENTRATING ON THE MORE SERIOUS OFFENCES.

"IN THE PAST, PROSECUTIONS WERE TAKEN OUT IN A LOT OF FAIRLY MINOR CASES," HE SAID,

AND

"BUT WE FEEL IT IS MORE MEANINGFUL IN MINOR CASES TO EDUCATE ADVISE THE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES AND CONCENTRATE OUR PROSECUTION EFFORTS ON BLATANT OFFENDERS AND WORK SITES WITH BAD ACCIDENT RECORDS.

HE DISCLOSED THAT PROSECUTIONS WERE LEVELLED MAINLY AT EMPLOYERS, BUT IN SOME CASES, OPERATIVES WERE ALSO CHARGED FOR BREACHES OF THE SAFETY REGULATIONS.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS AT PRESENT DRAFTING SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE WHICH WILL SPELL OUT MORE CLEARLY THE GENERAL DUTIES OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES AS REGARDS SAFETY AND HEALTH AND WILL INTRODUCE CUSTODIAL SENTENCES FOR VERY SERIOUS OFFENCES.

HOWEVER, HE REITERATED THAT ALTHOUGH ENFORCEMENT OF THE LEGISLATION BY THE GOVERNMENT WAS FUNDAMENTAL, IT WAS NOT BY ITSELF SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

"IN SHORT, THERE MUST BE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE TO FOSTER AN ATTITUDE OF MIND FAVOURABLE TO SAFE PRACTICES IN THE WORKPLACE.

"OUR WHOLE APPROACH HAS BEEN BASED UPON A COMBINATION ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATION AND PERSUASION WHICH I THINK IS THE AND MOST PRACTICABLE APPROACH, MR YIP STRESSED.

OF

CORRECT

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