FEHD arrests unlicensed hawkers for selling cable car ticket redemption vouchers
Targeting the illegal hawking of cable car tickets in Tung Chung, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) conducted an operation against such illegal activities at Mei Tung Street, Tung Chung today (February 9). During the operation, the FEHD officers disguised as customers to gather evidence at the stalls located at the mentioned address. It was discovered that two men were selling Ngong Ping 360 cable car ticket redemption vouchers. The FEHD officers promptly intervened, arresting and charging the above-mentioned persons for illegal hawking without licence, and illegal hawking without licence and causing obstruction in public place respectively.
The arrested persons were a 56-year-old man and a 49-year-old man, both holding Hong Kong identity cards. During the operation, the FEHD officers seized items including price tags and metal folding tables.
During an earlier joint operation by the FEHD and the Hong Kong Police Force on January 30 at Mei Tung Street, Tung Chung, a man and a woman were arrested for illegal hawking without licence and causing obstruction in public place, while the commodities and equipment involved were seized. The FEHD continued to monitor the relevant situation, and has launched an operation against illegal hawking without licence at Mei Tung Street for five days from February 5. The FEHD officers today discovered the illegal acts and arrested the suspects.
The FEHD reminds that according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), no one is allowed to trade on the streets unless he holds a valid hawker licence issued by the Department. Offenders will be prosecuted and, upon conviction, a maximum penalty of $10,000 fine and six months' imprisonment will be imposed, and the commodities and equipment involved will be seized and confiscated. In addition, if the illegal hawking activities also cause obstruction to the public place, the offender will also be charged under the Summary Offenses Ordinance (Cap. 228). Upon conviction, a maximum penalty of $25,000 or three months' imprisonment will be imposed.
The FEHD will continue to liaise with relevant organisations and departments to look into the source of the cable car tickets with a view to curbing the illegal hawking problem.
Employers, contractors and employees should be aware of electrical safety at work during rainstorm
As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.
A spokesman for the LD said today (March 15) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.
Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:
(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;
(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;
(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;
(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and
(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.
In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.
The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).
Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.
