XN000022-1993-04-19 — Page 5

MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1993

CONTRACTORS URGED TO THINK AND ACT SAFE

THE GOVERNMENT IS CONTINUING TO SEEK WAYS ΤΟ ENCOURAGE CONTRACTORS что UPGRADE THE MANAGEMENT OF SAFETY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, AND MEANS TO STIMULATE WORKERS TO THINK AND ACT

SAFE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, AT THE OPENING OF THE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM TODAY (MONDAY).

MR BLAKE SAID A MANUAL FOR PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME CONTRACTS STIPULATING THE DETAILED REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE BEST PRACTICES FOR CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WOULD BE ISSUED SHORTLY.

"IN THE SAME WAY AS FOR THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME CONTRACTS, TENDERERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT OUTLINE SAFETY PLANS DURING TENDERING, FROM WHICH THE SUCCESSFUL TENDERER WILL DEVELOP A FULL SAFETY PLAN AS PART OF THE CONTRACTED OBLIGATIONS," HE SAID.

EACH MAIN CONTRACTOR WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THEIR SAFETY PERSONNEL, WORKERS AND MANAGEMENT STAFF. A SITE SAFETY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL BE ESTABLISHED ON EACH SITE AND SAFETY AUDITS WILL BE CARRIED OUT.

MR BLAKE SAID ACTIVE CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO INCLUDE IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS PRE-SET PAYMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SAFETY ITEMS то ENSURE CONTRACTORS PUT MAXIMUM EFFORT INTO SAFETY MATTERS SO REMOVE SITE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FROM PRICE COMPETITION.

AS

ΤΟ

"CONTINUING POOR PERFORMANCE OF ANY CONTRACTOR IN SITE SAFETY WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE REPORT WHICH WILL INCREASINGLY CARRY WEIGHT IN THE AWARDING OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, HE

SAID.

MR BLAKE SAID A TECHNICAL CIRCULAR WOULD ALSO BE ISSUED SOON REQUIRING ALL WORKS DEPARTMENTS TO GIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION BEFORE HAND-DUG CAISSON CONSTRUCTION WAS PERMITTED IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

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MORE EFFORTS HAVE TO BE MADE BY ALL PARTIES CONCERNED TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN HONG KONG, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MRS KATHERINE FOR, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SYMPOSIUM ON SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT, MRS FOK SAID: "OUR ACCIDENT FIGURES HAVE REMAINED HIGH COMPARED WITH MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

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