Contractors/employers and employees urged to pay attention to workplace safety before Chinese New Year holidays
With Chinese New Year around the corner, the Labour Department (LD) urges contractors, employers and employees to be more vigilant and take adequate safety precautions at workplaces before the long holidays.
A spokesperson for the LD said today (February 11) that employers and employees should pay more attention to work safety before the Chinese New Year holidays to prevent accidents.
The spokesperson said, "As Chinese New Year is coming, employees may become less aware of work safety due to the festive atmosphere or may have to rush to complete work before the long holidays. Employers should therefore step up monitoring to ensure workplace safety and eliminate potential hazards through pre-holiday safety inspections, thereby minimising the chance of grave consequences during and after the Chinese New Year holidays. Safety precautions before the holidays include turning off the power for plant and machinery as well as gas welding equipment, proper storage of chemicals and stacking of materials, extinguishing ignition sources and securing temporary structures.
"Management should remind supervisors and employees not to compromise work safety for tight work schedules, including failure to take adequate safety precautions, follow safety procedures or use personal protective equipment. Risk assessments should be conducted by competent persons prior to the commencement of different work processes, with safe work method statements formulated and proper monitoring systems in place, especially for works involving high-risk operations, such as working at height, lifting operations, working in confined spaces, tunnelling works and electrical work," the spokesperson added.
Pursuant to the general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, employers shall provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.
Meanwhile, employees shall co-operate by following safety instructions and using safety equipment.
For any enquiries on occupational safety and health, please contact the LD's Occupational Safety and Health Branch at 2542 2172.
The Labour Department (LD), Photo source: reference image
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million
Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.
In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.
In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
