XN000022-1993-06-18 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1993

THE MAJOR REQUIREMENTS ARE:

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A

AT THE FIRST ACTION LEVEL, A PROPRIETOR HAS TO PROVIDE SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTOR TO AN EMPLOYEE UPON REQUEST, EXCEPT WHERE THE WEARING OF EAR PROTECTORS WOULD BE LIKELY TO CAUSE A RISK TO THE SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEE OR ΤΟ ANY OTHER PERSON;

AT THE SECOND ACTION LEVEL OR ABOVE, OR AT THE PEAK ACTION

PROPRIETORS LEVEL,

MUST PROVIDE AND EMPLOYEES MUST WEAR APPROVED EAR PROTECTORS, AND THE AREA IN ANY INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING THUS AFFECTED MUST BE DEMARCATED AS AN BAR PROTECTION ZONE; AND

WHERE DEMARCATION IS IMPRACTICABLE, AS IN THE CASE OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE, ALL NOISY MACHINES MUST BE LABELLED. EMPLOYEES ATTENDING TO THESE NOISY MACHINES MUST WEAR EAR PROTECTORS.

EXEMPTION

"THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR IS EMPOWERED TO MAKE WHERE, DESPITE ACTION BY A PROPRIETOR, IT HAD NOT BEEN PRACTICABLE FOR HIM TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW REGULATIONS.

"CONTRAVENTION OF THE NEW REGULATION WILL INCUR A MAXIMUM HE ADDED. PENALTY OF $30,000 FOR EMPLOYERS AND $10,000 FOR EMPLOYEES,

SINCE THE APPROVAL OF THE REGULATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST YEAR, FACTORY INSPECTORS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS HAD LAUNCHED A FOUR-MONTH INDUSTRY-BASED HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAMME AMONG WORKERS

UNIONS TO IN FACTORIES, CONSTRUCTION SITES AND TRADE PUBLICISE THE NEW LAW.

THEY

APRIL CONDUCTED HEARING TESTS BETWEEN LAST DECEMBER AND THIS YEAR FOR 860 WORKERS TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY WERE SUFFERING FROM HEAVY IMPAIRMENT CAUSED BY NOISE GENERATED FROM MACHINES.

AS FACTORIES AND CONSTRUCTION SITES, AS WELL SEVENTEEN LABOUR UNIONS HAVE BEEN VISITED.

SEVEN

MEANWHILE, FACTORY INSPECTORS HAVE ALSO DELIVERED FOUR TALKS ON THE NEW REGULATION FOR ABOUT 800 PARTICIPANTS FROM MAJOR COMPANIES AND AT GATHERINGS OF THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS.

ABOUT 120 PERSONS HAVE ATTENDED FIVE 'CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE IN WORKPLACE NOISE ASSESSMENT' COURSES

ORGANISED BY JOINTLY LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL.

THE

AS PART OF THE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS PRINTED

ON 15,000 COPIES OF A LEAFLET, IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE,

AT ALL ARE NOW AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE THE REGULATION WHICH BRANCH OFFICES OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION.

MORE

PUBLICATIONS

ON

THE NEW REGULATION WILL ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION IN DUE COURSE, ENQUIRIES CAN BE 606 5552.

BE

THE

MADE MADE ON

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