XN000022-1993-10-09+10 — Page 7

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1993

SPECIAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST NOISE HAZARDS

OWNERS

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL CONDUCT A TWO-MONTH SPECIAL CAMPAIGN TOMORROW (MONDAY) TO ENHANCE THE AWARENESS OF INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ON NOISE HAZARDS AND THE IMPORTANCE PROTECTING WORKERS AGAINST SUCH HAZARDS.

OF OF

DURING THE TERRITORY-WIDE CAMPAIGN, FACTORY INSPECTORS WILL FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON SEVEN MAJOR NOISY INDUSTRIES.

THESE INDUSTRIES INCLUDE SHIP BUILDING AND REPAIRING, TEXTILE, CONSTRUCTION, METAL PRODUCTS, PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS, WOOD PRODUCTS AND WOODEN FURNITURES, AS WELL AS WATCHES AND CLOCKS.

THE DEPUTY CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR KAN HON-SANG, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) DURING INSPECTIONS, OWNERS WOULD BE ADVISED OF THEIR STATUTORY OBLIGATION TO CONDUCT NOISE LEVEL ASSESSMENTS AND ADOPT NECESSARY MEASURES TO MINIMISE NOISE HAZARDS TO SAFEGUARD WORKERS.

UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (NOISE AT WORK) REGULATION WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT IN JULY THIS YEAR, OWNERS OF ALL INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ARE REQUIRED то IMPLEMENT MEASURES ΤΟ PROTECT WORKERS AGAINST NOISE HAZARDS, MR KAN SAID.

THESE MEASURES INCLUDE APPOINTING OF COMPETENT PERSONS TO CONDUCT NOISE ASSESSMENTS AND DEMARCATE AREAS AFFECTED BY EXCESSIVE NOISE AS EAR PROTECTION ZONES WITHIN WHICH OWNERS MUST PROVIDE AND EMPLOYEES MUST WEAR SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTORS.

WHERE DEMARCATION IS IMPRACTICABLE, FOR EXAMPLE ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE WHERE NOISY MACHINES ARE BEING MOVED AROUND QUITE FREQUENTLY, THE REGULATION REQUIRES OWNERS TO LABEL THE NOISY MACHINES INDICATING THE DISTANCE WITHIN WHICH EAR PROTECTORS MUST BE WORN.

OWNERS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN MACHINES PROPERLY AND IMPLEMENT CONTROL MEASURES TO REDUCE NOISE LEVEL.

IN ADDITION, EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE INFORMATION, INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS, AND PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED, MR KAN ADDED.

WITH

ON THE OTHER HAND, MR KAN SAID EMPLOYEES MUST CO-OPERATE EMPLOYERS IN USING THE SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTORS PROVIDED ΤΟ THEM AND REPORT ANY DEFECTS IN THE MACHINE TO THE PROPRIETOR.

"VIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS, INCLUDING PROSECUTIONS, WILL BE TAKEN OUT, WITHOUT HESITATION, AGAINST BLATANT OFFENDERS WHO CHOOSE TO TURN A BLIND BYE TO THE REQUIRED SAFETY MEASURES, * MR KAN SAID.

OWNERS WHO CONTRAVENE THE PROVISIONS OF THE REGULATION WILL BE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $30,000 WHILE EMPLOYEES WILL MAXIMUM FINE OF $10,000.

FACE A

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