XN000022-1988-06-15 — Page 9

7

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1988

MR BRIDGE NOTED THAT DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHS LEGCO MEMBERS HAD CAREFULLY SCRUTINISED THE REGULATIONS, SOUGHT CLARIFICATION OF VARIOUS POINTS AND RECEIVED REPRESENTATIONS FROM INTERESTED BODIES,

"CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED THAT THERE MAY BE LOOPHOLES AND

INADEQUACIES.

AND

"THESE ARE COMPLEX REGULATIONS WHICH CONCERN PEOPLE'S LIVES SAFETY AND FULLY DESERVE THE DETAILED ATTENTION THEY HAVE RECEIVED. I AM THEREFORE MOST GRATEFUL TO MEMBERS FOR THEIR BFFORTS.

"THE FACT THAT, AFTER SUCH CAREFUL SCRUTINY, ONLY TWO AMENDMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN PROPOSED IS, I HOPE, AN INDICATION OF THE BASIC SOUNDNESS OF OUR APPROACH, HE SAID.

14

MR BRIDGE SAID THE TWO AMENDMENTS PROPOSED WERB, FIRST, TO SPECIFY HOW THE CONCENTRATION OF A SUBSTANCE SHOULD BE MEASURED AND, SECONDLY, TO DELETE THE CLAUSE BY WHICH LABORATORIES WITHIN FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS WERE EXEMPTED FROM THE REGULATIONS.

"WE HAVE RECEIVED STRONG REPRESENTATION FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS THAT SUCH AN EXEMPTION WOULD CREATE A MAJOR LOOPHOLE, AND NOW AGREE THAT THERE IS A GOOD CASE FOR INCLUDING THEM UNDER THE REGULATIONS, HE SAID.

MR BRIDGE SAID THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD PUBLISHED REFERENCE MATERIALS, TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT.

THESE INCLUDED A BOOKLET ON THE CLASSIFICATION AND LABELLING OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES COMMONLY USED IN INDUSTRY: LEAFLETS ON THE SAFE USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES; AND TECHNICAL DATA SHEETS FOR THE LISTED SUBSTANCES.

STANDARD SAMPLE LABELS, WITH PRESCRIBED RISKS, SAFETY INFORMATION AND SYMBOLS WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FACTORY PROPRIETORS BEFORE THE REGULATIONS CAME INTO FORCE.

IN THE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE REGULATIONS CAME INTO OPERATION, A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN WOULD BE CONDUCTED TO EXPLAIN THEIR PURPOSE AND CONTENT.

"WE SHALL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REGULATIONS ONCE THEY COME INTO FORCE, MR BRIDGE SAID.

It

"MANY OF OUR EXISTING REGULATIONS ALREADY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE.

"I BELIEVE THAT THESE REGULATIONS ARE A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE TOLL of ACCIDENTS AND ILLNESSES ARISING FROM UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS.

*

/8