Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident in Stanley today
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Stanley this afternoon (May 4), in which a male worker was struck by a falling object while he was working inside a lift shaft. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.
The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the lift works at the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."
The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
To prevent workers being struck by falling objects while working inside a lift shaft, the LD reminds employers to plan and coordinate works inside the lift shaft well to avoid incompatible activities being conducted at the same time; and ensure the lift works are conducted under the immediate supervision of a qualified person who is competent by virtue of his/her substantial training and practical experience in relation to the relevant works.
The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to 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.
In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.
Source: AI-found images
Government concludes fifteenth-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units
Today (May 4) is the fifteenth day of phased arrangements for residents of seven blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to return to their units. Five high-zone floors of Wang Tai House and 11 high-zone floors of Wang Shing House were opened. The access arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner and operated smoothly.
A total of 140 households (487 people) registered to return to their units today through the "one social worker per household" service, while 140 households (526 people) actually turned up.
The average time residents spent entering and leaving the building today was two hours and 35 minutes, with the shortest time being 20 minutes and the longest four hours and nine minutes. About 63 per cent of the residents stayed in the building for less than three hours. About 24 per cent of the residents stayed in the building for less than two hours. About 3 per cent of the residents stayed in the building for less than one hour.
A total of 63 households (131 people) went up and down the building more than once. Among them, 36 households (87 people) made one additional trip, 22 households (37 people) made two additional trips, and 5 households (7 people) made three additional trips.
The integrated enquiry counter set up by relevant departments today received thirteen cases requesting police assistance and one case involving resident seeking help due to physical discomfort.
The 13 cases requesting police assistance involved suspected loss of property, including watch, jewellery, cash and gold items. Officers were immediately deployed to assist in searches, and lost property was recovered in one case. In three cases, the units concerned were severely damaged and residents believed after investigation that the property might have been destroyed by fire. In another five cases, there were no signs of ransacking in the units, and the residents could not provide details on the property concerned. For the remaining four cases, the Police will make further investigation.
The Government spares no effort in supporting the residents returning to their units. Each day, the Government deploys over 1 000 personnel from various departments, including the Police, the Civil Aid Service, the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Housing Bureau, and the Housing Department, as well as District Services and Community Care Teams members. The "Government-wide Mobilisation" mechanism has also been activated to bring together greater interdepartmental resources to support residents.
Under the "Government-wide Mobilisation" mechanism, the Civil Service Bureau has co-ordinated nine government departments to mobilise civil servants to form the Government Quick Response Unit to support these access arrangements. These civil servants come from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD), the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Lands Department (LandsD), the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Post Office, and the Water Supplies Department (WSD). They will form dedicated teams with social workers and clinical psychologists from the SWD, stationed on different floors to provide support to residents returning to their units. The civil servants mobilised in the first three days were from the AFCD, those mobilised from the fourth day to the sixth day are from the EMSD and the LCSD, those mobilised from the seventh day to the ninth day are from the LandsD and the WSD, those mobilised from the tenth day to the twelfth day are from the Post Office and the ArchSD, while those mobilised from the thirteenth day to the fifteenth day (including today) are from the FEHD and the EPD.
Government concludes fifteenth-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Government concludes fifteenth-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Government concludes fifteenth-day arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
