XN000022-1996-01-10 — Page 22

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These components should, in varying degrees, be applied by law to different industries covered by the FIUO, subject to certain qualifications such as the nature of the work, the size of employment and the value of contract for construction projects.

In this connection, I note that Mr Tsang Kin-shing called for legislative provision for the setting up of safety committees. We are certainly going to do this. A safety committee is but just one of the components of a safety management system which we are promoting in Hong Kong. To be more effective, a safety committee should be operating together with company safety policy and plans, safety audits or safety reviews, as well as enhanced safety training for the workers. However, we do not think it is appropriate to require the setting up of safety committees in all occupations and trades in one go. We believe that a step by step approach is more suitable. Accordingly, as a start, we are requiring the setting up of safety committees in all establishments covered by the FIUO and employing 100 or more workers. The requirement for safety committees will be extended to establishments with 50 or more workers in future in the light of operational experience.

At the same time, particular aspects of the enforcement efforts will need to be strengthened to target those establishments where self-regulation is not working. We will therefore propose in the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill that the Commissioner for Labour should be given a broader range of powers. This will include the power to issue suspension notices and improvement notices to give the Commissioner more flexible and more effective measures to bring about the necessary improvements.

(B) Safety and Health At Work Bill

In June we will introduce a Safety and Health At Work Bill into this Council to extend protection on occupational safety and health to workers in the non-industria! sectors. The bill will be accompanied by two sets of subsidiary regulations covering the safety, health and welfare of the workplace and manual handling operations. Other subsidiary regulations covering personal protective equipment at work, dangerous substances, health and safety of using visual display screens and use of work machines and equipment will be introduced in stages.

(C) Other Regulations

We also plan to introduce amendments to the Confined Spaces Regulations and the Construction (Safety) Regulations in this Council in July to improve the safety of workers working in confined spaces and at height. New regulations to extend the certification scheme to operators of earth-moving machines on construction sites and fork-lift trucks in industrial premises will be introduced in the 1996/97 legislative session..