ENG-1987 — Page 120

EMPLOYMENT

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between July and August as part of the popular television programme ‘Enjoy Yourself Tonight'.

To reflect more accurately its increased scope of activities and to prepare for its eventual development into a statutory occupational safety and health council, the Labour Advisory Board Committee on Industrial Safety and Accident Prevention was renamed the Indus- trial Safety and Health Committee on January 1, 1987. The committee's composition was also re-structured to facilitate its effective operation and to eliminate duplications.

The six sub-committees for the construction, textiles, plastics, ship-building and ship- repairing, metalware and electronics industries, which were set up between 1980 and 1985 under the Industrial Safety and Health Committee, continued to undertake various activities to promote work safety, including the preparation of codes and pamphlets on safe practices, safety seminars and a safety competition. These industry-based safety sub- committees, following the ILO recommendation, comprise representatives of employers, workers and the government.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Industrial Safety and Health Committee, a Safety Week, which was by far the largest single safety promotional activity ever launched in Hong Kong, was held from March 14 to 20. Through a series of imaginative and entertaining activities, the Safety Week was able to achieve its aim of focusing public attention on industrial safety.

The Pressure Equipment Division administers the Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance and the Gasholders Examination Ordinance. The Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance stipulates that boilers, steam receivers, steam containers, air receivers and cement tanks mounted on trucks or trailers must be approved and registered with the division and must be examined periodically by qualified engineers in the private sector acting as appointed examiners.

The division conducts examinations for boiler attendants for the issue of certificates of competency. Comprehensive training courses for the attendants operating electrically heated boilers are organised in collaboration with the Haking Wong Technical Institute. Short training courses are also organised by the division for persons who wish to obtain a provisional certificate of competency. Pamphlets on statutory, technical and safety aspects of pressure equipment are published for both the owners and attendants of such equipment. The division monitors the operation of pressure equipment through spot checks to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and carries out investigations into accidents involving pressure equipment.

The division also approves the design of gasholders and carries out inspections during fabrication and subsequent annual inspections as laid down in the Gasholders Examination Ordinance. It gives technical assistance to the Fire Services Department concerning the safety of storage and handling of Category 2 dangerous goods.

Occupational Health and Hygiene

The Occupational Health Division of the Labour Department provides an advisory service to the government and the public on matters concerning the health of workers and the hygiene of the workplace and complements the Factory Inspectorate Division in supervising health standards and practices in industry. It works to maintain and improve the physical and mental well-being of workers and to protect them against any health hazard arising from their employment. During the year, the division took part in a number of seminars and exhibitions for the promotion of occupational health and also published a series of booklets and codes of practice on the prevention of occupational diseases. Occupational

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