Commissioner of Customs and Excise meets Director General of Guangdong Sub-Administration of General Administration of Customs
A high-level meeting between Hong Kong Customs and the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) was held in Hong Kong on May 17. The delegations from both sides were headed by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, and the Director General of the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the GACC, Ms Zhang Geping.
Mr Chan welcomed Ms Zhang's visit to Hong Kong Customs with her delegation. During the meeting, both sides had in-depth discussions and exchanges on matters including facilitating customs clearance, combating smuggling, risk prevention and control, and the development of smart customs, with an aim to further promote co-operation between the two Customs administrations.
On the same day, the delegation conducted a site visit to the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link to gain an in-depth understanding of the operations of passenger clearance by Hong Kong Customs.
The delegation also attended the 27th World Customs Organization (WCO) Asia/Pacific (A/P) Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference held by Hong Kong Customs, in its capacity as the WCO Vice-Chair for the A/P Region, during their visit to Hong Kong.
The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat (front row, fourth right), met with the Director General of the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, Ms Zhang Geping (front row, fourth left) in Hong Kong on May 17. Photo shows the delegations from both sides. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
LD reminds employers and employees to take heat stroke preventive measures in times of Heat Stress at Work Warning
As the Heat Stress at Work Warning is now in effect, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and employees to take appropriate measures during the effective period of the warning to prevent heat stroke when working in hot weather or hot environments.
Employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor environments face high levels of heat stress and are at a relatively higher risk of heat stroke. Employers should assess the risk factors of heat stress for employees at work and, based on the identified risk factors, take necessary preventive and control measures, including rescheduling work periods, setting up shading covers, providing ventilation and heat dissipation equipment, and reminding employees to replenish water and rest in a timely manner.
The Heat Stress at Work Warning is formulated by the LD based on the Hong Kong Heat Index. There are three levels of the warning: Amber, Red and Black, which help employers and employees better understand the level of heat stress while working outdoors or indoors without air-conditioning systems.
A spokesman for the LD said that when the department issues the Heat Stress at Work Warning, employers must refer to the criteria and recommendations provided in the "Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work" to conduct risk assessments, according to the workloads and other relevant heat stress risk factors, for employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor workplaces. Appropriate rest breaks should be arranged every hour, as far as reasonably practicable, based on various levels of the Heat Stress at Work Warning, to reduce employees' risk of heat stroke.
Employees must also follow instructions to rest on time. Whenever there are any symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as headache, dizziness, thirst, and nausea, they should rest in a cool and shady place, drink water, and inform employers/supervisors to take appropriate action immediately.
The LD issued the "Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work", detailing the various risk factors that should be considered when conducting heat stress risk assessments and recommending corresponding control measures for identified risk factors for employers' and employees' reference. For the Heat Stress at Work Warning and related guidelines, please refer to the department's thematic webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm.
Source: AI-found images
