XN000022-1994-01-30 — Page 4

SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 1994

DEPUTY CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR KAN HON-SANG, SAID TODAY

(SUNDAY):

"DURING

THE MAJORITY

REQUIREMENTS AND

THE INSPECTIONS, OUR FACTORY INSPECTORS NOTICED THAT OF OWNERS WERE AWARE OF THE HEARING PROTECTION

HAVE SHOWN INITIATIVES TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

"ON THE OTHER HAND, EMPLOYEES LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE NOISY WORKING ENVIRONMENT WERE WILLING ΤΟ CO-OPERATE WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS BY WEARING EAR PROTECTORS SUPPLIED BY THE EMPLOYER, HE ADDED.

ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE, MR KAN SAID 12 SUMMONSES WERE TAKEN OUT AGAINST OWNERS WHO FAILED ΤΟ COMPLY WITH THEIR STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS.

"AMONG THEM, SIX WERE ON FAILURE TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS OF NOISE EXPOSURE, TWO RELATED TO FAILURE TO DEMARCATE EAR PROTECTION ZONES, TWO ON FAILURE TO PROVIDE SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, MR KAN SAID.

་་

"ONE OF THE REMAINING SUMMONSES WAS ON FAILURE TO LABEL THE NOISY MACHINES OR TOOLS TO SPECIFY THE DISTANCE WITHIN WHICH SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTOR MUST BE WORN AND THE OTHER ON FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE WEARS SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTOR."

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

*THESE MEASURES INCLUDE APPOINTING OF COMPETENT PERSONS то 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," HE SAID.

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.

HE

+

PROVIDED

SAID EMPLOYEES MUST, UNDER THE REGULATION, CO-OPERATE WITH EMPLOYERS IN USING THE SUITABLE APPROVED EAR PROTECTORS

то THEM AND REPORT ANY DEFECTS IN THE MACHINE TO THE OWNER.

"OWNERS WHO CONTRAVENE THE PROVISIONS OF THE REGULATION WILL BE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $50,000 WHILE FMPLOYFES WILL FACE A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10,000, HE ADDED,

0

/4