XN000022-1994-06-01 — Page 24

5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1994

BUT I SHOULD EMPHASISE

THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE COST- BENEFIT EFFECTIVE FOR US TO FOCUS ON AREAS WHERE THEY WOULD GENUINELY FROM LEGISLATIVE CONTROL. WE SHALL HAVE TO JUDGE EACH AND EVERY CASE ON ITS OWN MERITS.

THE REASON

FOR THIS IS SIMPLE.

DESPITE THE DECLINE IN THE AT NUMBER OF MANUFACTURING WORKERS, THE NUMBER OF FACTORIES REMAINS

DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS ABOUT

THE LABOUR 60,000. THOUGH

MONITOR INSPECTION ON FACTORIES, SOME STAFF WILL BE RE-DEPLOYED TO

ACCIDENT RATE IS STILL SAFETY AT UNACCEPTABLY HIGH.

CONSTRUCTION

SITES

WHERE THE

WE NOW HAVE 220,000 NON-INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS NOT COVERED IF GOVERNMENT BY THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE.

ALL OF THESE WERE TO EXTEND THE SCOPE OF THE LEGISLATION TO COVER ESTABLISHMENTS, THE ADDITIONAL MANPOWER REQUIRED COULD RANGE FROM ONE- THIRD TO TWICE THAT OF THE PRESENT FACTORY INSPECTORATE ESTABLISHMENT, LARGE DEPENDING ON WHETHER WE CHOOSE TO ACT ON COMPLAINTS AND INSPECT ESTABLISHMENTS ONLY, OR WHETHER WE UNDERTAKE FULL-SCALE INSPECTIONS OF ALL BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS.

HYGIENISTS

MEDICAL

IN

AND

TRAINING

DOCTORS, IN ADDITION, WE MIGHT ALSO NEED ABOUT 20

AND NURSES. EVEN LEAVING ASIDE THE OCCUPATIONAL

THE STAFF SUCH A SCALE OF INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES,

TREMENDOUS WOULD

RECRUITMENT ESTABLISHMENT

IMPOSE DIFFICULTIES FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT. IN THE SHORT-TERM, PUT ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON EXISTING STAFF RESOURCES, DILUTE NEEDED EFFORTS ON THE MONITORING OF THOSE INDUSTRIES REQUIRING ATTENTION, AND OVER-STRETCH THE MANAGEMENT'S PLANNING FOR BETTER INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN THE HIGH-RISK REALITY, THEREFORE, WE WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PROGRESS STEP.

FULLY

IT WOULD THE MUCH MOST URGENTLY ATTENTION IN SECTORS. IN STEP BY

TRAT GOVERNMENT IS I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY REITERATING

THE DETERMINED TO ENHANCE THE STANDARD OF SAFETY AND HEALTH IN

WORKPLACE:

TOGETHER WITH THE WORKS BRANCH, WE ARE WORDING VIGOROUSLY ON

WE AIM TO INTRODUCE 5PIECES AN ACTIVE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

IN THE NEXT OF PRIMARY

LEGISLATION AND SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATIVE SESSION;

INSPECTORATE

WE HAVE INCREASED THE ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY OF

OVER THE LAST COUPLE SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGH THE REDEPLOYMENT ADDITIONAL POSTS;

OF STAFF AND

THE

THE FACTORY OF YEARS PROVISION

OF

TOGETHER WITH THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COUNCIL, SHALL BE PROMOTING SAFETY MESSAGES EVEN MORE VIGOROUSLY THE MONTHS AHEAD; AND

WE

IN

HOW WE MAY INDUSTRIAL SAFETY

WE ARE ALSO GIVING SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO EMBARK ON AN EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMME IN THE LONGER TERM, AND HOW BEST TO EMBED A SAFETY CULTURE IN THE WORKPLACE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOBODY CAN BETTER LOOK AFTER SAFETY IN EMPLOYMENT THAN AND EMPLOYEES THEMSELVES.

THE EMPLOYERS

THERE IS