XN000022-1993-04-26 — Page 7

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MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1993

LAB ACCEPTS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO LABOUR LAWS

LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD (LAB) MEMBERS TODAY (MONDAY) ACCEPTED A NUMBER

AMENDMENTS TO LABOUR OF PROPOSED WORKERS' SAFETY AND HEALTH AND TO IMPROVE

BENEFITS.

ΤΟ LAWS

EMPLOYEES'

FURTHER PROTECT LONG SERVICE

BY THE AGREED A AND

IN ITS SECOND MERTING OF THE CURRENT SESSION CHAIRED COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MRS KATHERINE FOK, BOARD MEMBERS PROPOSAL

AMEND

FACTORIES THE PENALTY PROVISIONS UNDER INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS,

BE THE

TO

THE

UNDER THE PROPOSAL, ALL OFFENCES RELATING TO THE ORDINANCE WILL DEPENDING ON "SERIOUS" AND "VERY SERIOUS" CLASSIFIED AS "MINOR"

ADVERSE AND HAZARD AS WELL

DEGREES CONSEQUENCES.

OF RISK

AS

THE

POSSIBLE

OF OFFENCES WITH

THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR EACH CATEGORY ARE $10,000 FOR MINOR OFFENCES, $50,000 FOR SERIOUS AND $200,000 OR WITHOUT IMPRISONMENT FOR VERY SERIOUS OFFENCES.

MEMBERS WILL BE FURTHER CONSULTED ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF SOME OF THE OFFENCES.

THE

DURING THE MEETING, MEMBERS DISCUSSED A PROPOSAL TO AMEND

REGULATIONS FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (ASBESTOS) SPECIAL

HEALTH WHICH STIPULATED NECESSARY SAFETY REQUIREMENTS TO PROTECT THE OF WORKERS ENGAGED IN ASBESTOS WORK.

THE

MEMBERS REGULATIONS

AND THE

WERE TOLD THAT THE SAFETY EXISTING

INCLUDED THE PROVISION VENTILATION, PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND APPROVED RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT,

WORKPLACE CLEAN. DUTY TO KEEP THE

OF

REQUIREMENTS EFFICIENT

IN THE EXHAUST PROTECTIVE

THEY

WERE

INFORMED

THAT THE

ARE REGULATIONS

DIFFICULT

ΤΟ

ENFORCE DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL PROBLEMS.

BOARD

L

WERE MEMBERS

ADVISED

ΤΟ THAT THANKS

TECHNOLOGICAL ASBESTOS ADVANCEMENT, IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE GENERATION OF

MEANS OF ENGINEERING DUST AT

AND TO PREVENT ITS SPREAD BY SOURCE CONTROL MEASURES OTHER THAN BY EXHAUST VENTILATION.

FOR

MEMBERS AGREED ΤΟ AMEND THE EXISTING REGULATIONS INTRODUCE NEW

OF PROVISIONS

THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES SEEKING TO PREVENT ASBESTOS HAZARDS.

AND CONTEMPORARY

ΤΟ

MONTHS' THE

LAB MEMBERS ALSO DISCUSSED A PROPOSAL TO REMOVE THE 12 CEILING ON SEVERANCE PAYMENT AND LONG SERVICE PAYMENT UNDER EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

WAGE

AT

EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE

LIMITS

THE SEVERANCE

IS

12

OR A

THE PRESENT,

EMPLOYEE ELIGIBLE PAYMENT

LONG OR

SERVICE PAYMENT TO WHICH AN ENTITLED TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF WAGES EARNED DURING THE PERIOD OF MONTHS

PRECEDING THE RELEVANT DATE OF IMMEDIATELY TOTAL OF $180,000, WHICHEVER IS THE LESS.

DISMISSAL,

/THE MEMBERS