XN000022-1993-01-24+25 — Page 5

MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1993

PRESS STATEMENT ON CATHAY PACIFIC STRIKE

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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MRS KATHERINE FOK, WILL MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT THIS MORNING TO BRING THE TWO SIDES TOGETHER TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE.

A

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS CONTACTED

SIDES IN AN FURTHER MEETING LATER TODAY.

BOTH

ATTEMPT TO

CONVENE

NOT PREPARED TO

WAS THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTERVENE DIRECTLY IN THIS INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE. HOWEVER, THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE WILL CONTINUE ITS CONCILIATION EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT A SETTLEMENT.

FIRE AND CHEMICAL SAFETY CAMPAIGNS LAUNCHED

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CONTINUOUS CAMPAIGNS LAUNCHED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAVE PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN MINIMISING FIRE AND CHEMICAL RISKS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.

THE DEPUTY CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR KAN HON-SANG, SAID THIS TODAY (MONDAY) AFTER A TWO-MONTH FIRE AND CHEMICAL CAMPAIGN WHICH WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED RECENTLY.

INSPECTION

"F

"IT IS AN EFFECTIVE MOVE, PARTICULARLY DURING THE DRY SEASON, IN REMINDING OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES OF FIRE AND CHEMICAL RISKS, MR KAN SAID.

"ACCIDENT STATISTICS CONCERNING EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS SHOWED A DOWNWARD TREND AFTER THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT FIRST MOUNTED THE CAMPAIGN FIVE YEARS AGO," HE SAID.

WERE

CARRIED OUT AND

MR KAN POINTED OUT THAT MORE INSPECTIONS DURING THE RECENT CAMPAIGN TO COVER MORE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS TO SPREAD WIDER THE DEPARTMENT'S SAFETY MESSAGE.

"FACTORY INSPECTORS CONDUCTED 10, 827 INSPECTIONS DURING THE FIRE SAFETY CAMPAIGN AND 10,503 INSPECTIONS IN THE CHEMICAL SAFETY CAMPAIGN," MR KAN SAID.

"COMPARED WITH SIMILAR CAMPAIGNS IN 1991, THE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 16 PER CENT AND 24 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY," HE SAID.

DURING THE OPERATIONS, 10,000 COPIES OF RELEVANT SAFETY PUBLICATIONS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE FACTORY MANAGEMENT AND WORKERS.

/THE CAMPAIGNS