XN000022-1991-11-25 — Page 2

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1991

CONCERTED EFFORTS FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY UNDERSCORED

IF

REAL IMPROVEMENT IN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED ALL PARTIES INVOLVED TAKE POSITIVE STEPS TOWARDS THE FULLEST POSSIBLE INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN RAISING SAFETY AWARENESS AND STANDARDS.

TO

TO THIS END, THE GOVERNMENT IS EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY ATTACH GREATER EMPHASIS ON SAFETY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LISTS OF APPROVED CONTRACTORS FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR THIS (MONDAY) EVENING WHEN ADDRESSING THE FIRST ANNUAL SAFETY CONFERENCE.

JAMES BLAKE,

CONSTRUCTION

HONG KONG

THE CONFERENCE WAS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ASSOCIATION. THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL SAFETY ASSOCIATION AND THE SOCIETY OF REGISTERED SAFETY OFFICERS AND SPONSORED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

"I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS CAN BE EFFECTIVE, WITHOUT THE BACKING OF PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AS A MEASURE, IN ᏢᎪᎡᎢ . FOR THE CONTINUING STATUS OF CONTRACTORS ON APPROVED LISTS.

"IF INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS SEE THAT GREATER IMPORTANCE IS ATTACHED TO SAFETY, AS A LIST REQUIREMENT, I BELIEVE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE WILL BENEFIT FROM AN IMPROVED IMAGE, HE SAID.

CITING AN EXAMPLE, MR BLAKE SAID THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD TAKEN THE INITIATIVE IN REQUIRING THEIR CONTRACTORS TO EMPLOY STATED NUMBERS OF SAFETY OFFICERS, TO DESIGN SPECIAL TEMPORARY PROTECTION; TO MAKE SAFETY MANAGEMENT A CRITERION FOR BEING A LISTED CONTRACTOR AND TO REMOVE CONTRACTORS FROM THEIR LISTS WHO HAD BAD SAFETY RECORDS.

ON THE LEGISLATION ASPECT, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD INTRODUCED IMPORTANT SAFETY LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE THE EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS, SETTING DOWN THE OBLIGATION OF EMPLOYERS ΤΟ ENSURE HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK.

"I KNOW THAT LABOUR THESE REQUIREMENTS, BUT THE LARGE AND THE BURDEN OF INSPECTORATE STAFF.

DEPARTMENT IS MONITORING AND ENFORCING NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION SITES IS VERY ENFORCEMENT CANNOT BE LEFT SOLELY WITH

"LEGISLATION IS VITAL, BUT ON ITS OWN IS NOT ENOUGH," HE SAID.

MR BLAKE WAS GREATLY CONCERNED THAT THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, WHICH STOOD AT AN AVERAGE OF 70 PER DAY, HAD IMPROVED A LITTLE DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SOME OF THESE WERE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF OTHERS' CARELESSNESS WHILE SOME WERE DUE TO THEIR OWN CARELESSNESS.

/"OFTEN THE