INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (Comparative study)

Dr Chau Sik Ting asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour when the comparative study of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health commenced; when it will be completed and when it will be made public.

Mr Fong Sip Chee (for the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour): Sir, the proposed functions of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health are training, consultancy and research in industrial safety and health. A study of how such functions are discharged in some developed and developing countries started in April 1980. The study is to ascertain whether institutes or other arrangements were resorted to and their success or failure. The industrial safety situation of certain countries will also be examined. The study is expected to be completed by May this year.

Since the study is an internal one designed to enable the Ministry to decide on whether it should establish the institute in the way that it was originally formulated or resort to other arrangements, it is therefore not proposed to make public the findings. It is not necessary.

Dr Chau Sik Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary told this House in 1978 that the green light was given to set up the proposed Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. In fact, it was budgeted for FY 80 and FY 81. A proper study must have been made. And I accept his explanation on the purpose of this present study.

The Japanese Government set up such an Institute soon after the war, and it has contributed significantly to their much lower industrial accident rate. Concern for the safety and health of our workers is an important area. We must learn from the Japanese as well as the West. It will mean greater productivity in the long run. However, if we drag our feet further, our workers will continue to lose their lives and limbs. Could the Senior Parliamentary Secretary not accelerate the introduction of the necessary legislation for the establishment of this Institute?

Mr Fong Sip Chee: Sir, first, I have not the slightest intention to be drawn into the same controversy as the debate on police stations which occurred yesterday. Otherwise I will get an open invitation to join that side of the House!

That is not the case, neither it is the intention. The need for the institute has been established. But we are studying into the size, the detailed functions and all the aspects as to what is the best form it should take.

There are good points in the Japanese example but there are also some frightening aspects. For instance, the amount of money they spend to feed rabbits for their research in that institute is about three-quarters of the entire budget for our Factory Inspectorate. This is just for feeding rabbits alone. We have to feed our engineers in the Factory Inspectorate. It is the size of the project, the extent of commitment that we do not want to leap into. So before we plunge into this project and decide on the scope or functions of the Institute, it is prudent for us to look further. It may not take the form of an institute. The name was given for want of a better one or for want of a better arrangement. It may be a society. It may be a board. But there is a need for us to go into these areas of consultancy, research and training as we become more and more industrialized.

I assure the Member that the subject is moving very much in the Ministry. I assure the House that there is no delay in the way that the police stations have suffered from the Ministry of Finance.