XN000022-1990-01-10 — Page 28

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1990

MR CHENG NOTED THAT. EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION

HAD BEEN MADE ON THE AMENDMENT ORDINANCE TO ENSURE IT WAS GOT RIGHT BECAUSE OF ITS

LONG-TERM EFFECT.

INDUSTRIAL

"IT IS OUR FIRM BELIEF THAT THE PREVENTION OF INJURY AND DISEASES SHOULD BE A TRIPARTITE BUSINESS IN THAT THE EMPLOYERS, THE EMPLOYEES AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO TENDER THEIR FULL AND WILLING CO-OPERATION,

+

HE SAID.

THE SYMPOSIUM ORGANISED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS ATTENDED BY SOME 580 SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS AS WELL AS SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICERS FROM MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES.

DEPUTY

SPEAKERS AT THE SYMPOSIUM WERE MR J.D.G. HAMMER, FORMER DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, AND MR SUNG WING-KWONG, A SOLICITOR.

MR HAMMER WAS DESCRIBED BY MR CHENG AS "ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF THE UK'S GENERAL DUTIES PROVISIONS ON SAFETY AT WORK WHICH INTRODUCED IN 1974".

OUTLINING THE PRACTICAL AND FUNDAMENTAL REASONS INTRODUCING GENERAL DUTIES IN THE AMENDING ORDINANCE, MR HAMMER AS ORDINANCES WOULD ALWAYS BECOME OUT OF DATE THERE WAS A SERIOUS IN THE PROTECTION AFFORDED TO WORKERS.

WAS

FOR

SAID

GAP

"GENERAL DUTIES THEREFORE PUT INTO PRACTICAL AND LEGAL FORM THE SOCIAL JUDGEMENT THAT THOSE WHO EMPLOY OTHERS AT WORK THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM FORESEEABLE HAZARDS TO THEIR SAFETY, MR HAMMER NOTED.

SHOULD SEE HEALTH AND

TO

LOOK AT

"IT PUTS A COMPREHENSIVE OBLIGATION ON MANAGEMENT EVERY ASPECT OF ITS ACTIVITIES FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF HEALTH AND SAFETY, HE ADDED.

"

HE EXPLAINED THAT GENERAL DUTIES WERE SO COMPREHENSIVE THAT THEY EMBRACED ANY OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARD WHICH REQUIRED THE PROPRIETOR TO TAKE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS, WHETHER IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL CONTROLS, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LAYOUT, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, JOB ROTATION OR WORK BREAKS.

MR HAMMER NOTED THAT IT RELIABLE DATA ON THE COSTS AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT.

WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE

HOWEVER, HE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THE FACTORS FROM HIS UK EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING FEWER PROSECUTIONS, LOWER EMPLOYER LIABILITY INSURANCE PREMIUMS, INCREASED ALERTNESS AT PLANTS WITH HIGH POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND INCREASE ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN GOOD QUALITY LABOUR.

ON THE OTHER HAND, MR HAMMER SAID EMPLOYEES HAD A CRUCIAL TO PLAY IN ACHIEVING HEALTH AND SAFETY.

ROLE

/"THE EMPLOYEE