XN000022-1988-07-04 — Page 5

MONDAY, JULY 4, 1988

WORKERS' HEALTH, INDUSTRIAL SAFETY MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED

THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR HAROLD

KWOK, SAID THE DIVERSIFICATION OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY IN RECENT YEARS HAS RESULTED PRODUCTS BECOMING MORE ADVANCED AND SOPHISTICATED WHILE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE BECOMING MORE COMPLICATED.

IN

HEALTH

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE SECOND OCCUPATIONAL EXHIBITION AT THE YUEN LONG TOWN HALL TODAY (MONDAY), MR KWOK SAID THAT IN A SOCIETY WHERE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES ARE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY, EMPLOYEES' HEALTH AND INDUSTRIAL SAFETY ARE AREAS WHICH MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED.

"IF WE COULD MAKE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES OF DIFFERENT TRADES REALISE THE POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE FR TRADES, THEN THEY COULD BE PUT ON THE ALERT AND WOULD TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN ADVANCE," HE SAID.

"IT IS BELIEVED THAT BY THIS WAY, BETTER OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROTECTION COULD BE PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES, AND INCREASED PRODUCTION AND ENHANCED STAFF MORALE WOULD ENSUE.

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MR KWOK SAID THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT '9 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION WOULD BECOME MORE ARDUOUS AND DIVERSIFIED.

APART FROM INSPECTING VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS REGULARY, THE DIVISION ALSO ADVISES EMPLOYERS ON WAYS TO IMPROVE THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND INCULCATES IN EMPLOYEES THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH.

IN ADDITION, STAFF OF THE DIVISION ALSO DEVOTE MUCH EFFORT IN PROMOTING EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, SEMINARS, POSTERS, AND SO ON.

"THIS IS AIMED AT MAKING THE PUBLIC, IN PARTICULAR WORKERS AND SCHOOL LEAVERS, UNDERSTAND BETTER THE IMPORTANCE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK," MR KWOK ADDED.

THE FIVE-DAY EXHIBITION IS ORGANISED JOINTLY BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE YUEN LONG TOWN HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

IT FEATURES THE NINE MOST COMMON DISEASES AND OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG.

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENISTS AND MEDICAL STAFF FROM THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL BE ON HAND TO ANSWER PUBLIC ENQUIRIES AND TO CARRY OUT LUNG FUNCTION TESTS FOR VISITORS.

THE EXHIBITION WILL BE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC BETWEEN 11 AM AND 8.30 PM FROM TOMORROW (TUESDAY) UNTIL FRIDAY.

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