Employers, contractors and employees should be aware of electrical safety at work during rainstorms
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 (July 26) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (such as 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 a rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent an 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 that 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.
Source: AI-found images
CFS urges public not to consume batch of powdered infant formula found with lead possibly exceeding limit
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 25) urged the public not to consume a batch of powdered infant formula, as the product was found by the Macao authority with lead possibly exceeding its permissible levels. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Frisolac Prestige Stage 1 Infant Formula (800g)
Brand: FRISO PRESTIGE
Place of origin: Netherlands
Net weight: 800 grams
Best-before date: September 30, 2027
Batch number: 1W07KPJ
Importer: FrieslandCampina (Hong Kong) Ltd
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS noted a press release issued by the Macao authority this afternoon that the above-mentioned powdered infant formula was detected with lead content exceeding its permissible levels, while no abnormalities have been found in other batches of the relevant powdered infant formula so far. The CFS immediately followed up on the incident and contacted the importer concerned. Preliminary investigation by the CFS confirmed that the above-mentioned importer had imported the affected batch of the product into Hong Kong. The importer concerned has also arranged testing on two samples of the same batch, and the results showed that they complied with the standards of Hong Kong and Macao. For the sake of prudence, the importer concerned has already stopped sales and removed the affected product from shelves, and the CFS has instructed the importer to initiate a recall of the affected batch of product. Members of the public may call the distributor's hotline at 2280 4731 during office hours for enquiries about the recall."
The spokesman added that the CFS is stepping up the surveillance of powdered infant and young children formula in the market and will continue to closely monitor the recall of the related product to fully safeguard food safety.
The CFS has been collecting powdered infant and young children formula samples from local retail outlets for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme to safeguard the health and food safety of infants and young children. From 2023 to June 2026, the CFS has collected over 2 000 powdered infant and young children formula samples from the market for chemical and microbiological testing, including lead content tests. No unsatisfactory samples for lead content were found. The spokesman added that long term excessive exposure to lead in children can lead to neurological impairment and affect brain development.
The CFS urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batch of the product, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the product concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately. The CFS has alerted the trade and relevant departments to the incident, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action.
Source: AI-found images
