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 (October 3) 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
SCST congratulates Kiu Ethan Lachlan, Polson Louis Olive, Chloe Kong, Mccarley Wong, Nicholas Bezy Halliday, Chan Sin-yuk, Ho Tze-lok, Lee Ka-yi, Tse Yee-lam, Toby, Lee Sze-wing, Eudice Chong and Wong Hong-yi on winning medals in Asian Games
The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, today (October 2) extended her congratulations to sailing athletes Kiu Ethan Lachlan, Polson Louis Oliver, Chloe Kong and Mccarley Wong on winning two gold medals for the Hong Kong, China Delegation in Boys' Skiff - 29er and Girls' Skiff - 29er respectively at the 20th Asian Games.
Miss Law also extended her congratulations to squash athletes Chan Sin-yuk, Ho Tze-lok, Lee Ka-yi and Tse Yee-lam, Toby for winning a silver medal in Women's Team; sailing athlete Nicholas Bezy Halliday for winning a silver medal in Men's Dinghy ILCA7; track cycling athlete Lee Sze-wing for winning a bronze medal in Women's Omnium; and tennis athletes Eudice Chong and Wong Hong-yi for winning a bronze medal in Women's Doubles.
Miss Law said, "Hong Kong, China athletes had a great day in sailing event today. Kiu Ethan Lachlan, Polson Louis Oliver, Chloe Kong and Mccarley Wong were in excellent form, winning two gold medals respectively in the Boys' Skiff - 29er and Girls' Skiff - 29er. This marks Hong Kong, China's first-ever gold medals in sailing event. Nicholas Bezy Halliday also performed admirably, winning a silver medal. At this year's Asian Games, Hong Kong, China sailing athletes have won a total of two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal, marking a new milestone in the history of Hong Kong sailing sports."
"Also, Chan Sin-yuk, Ho Tze-lok, Lee Ka-yi and Tse Yee-lam, Toby battled their opponents to win silver medals for two consecutive times; Lee Sze-wing gave her all on the cycling track, winning a bronze medal in the individual event after winning a silver medal at the Women's Madison yesterday (October 1); Eudice Chong and Wong Hong-yi performed to their best, winning a medal in the Women's Doubles. As this year's Asian Games almost comes to an end, it is believed that Hong Kong citizens will continue to focus on the athletes' performances in the remaining events and encourage them to shine on the Asian Games stage!"
The Hong Kong, China Delegation has so far won forty-six medals, namely seven gold, seventeen silver and twenty-two bronze, at the Asian Games. The newly added six medals are as follows:
Gold medals
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Sailing: Boys' Skiff - 29er
Kiu Ethan Lachlan, Polson Louis Oliver
Sailing: Girls' Skiff - 29er
Chloe Kong, Mccarley Wong
Silver medals
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Squash: Women's Team
Chan Sin-yuk, Ho Tze-lok, Lee Ka-yi, Tse Yee-lam, Toby
Sailing: Men's Dinghy ILCA7
Nicholas Bezy Halliday
Bronze medals
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Track cycling: Women's Omnium
Lee Sze-wing
Tennis: Women's Doubles
Eudice Chong, Wong Hong-yi
