The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) reminded today (September 24) that the department will extend opening hours and make special arrangements at some of its venues for the public to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

     In the wake of the adverse impact brought about by Tropical Cyclone Mangkhut, which has led to various levels of damage to facilities and trees at many LCSD venues, the department has made an assessment and anticipated that the clearance work at these venues would not be completed before the Mid-Autumn Festival. They include all gazetted public beaches (including ancillary barbecue facilities) and a number of land-based venues in various districts, which are not suitable for activities relating to the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 24 and 25). The list of such venues can be found in the Annex.

     As the LCSD is making great efforts to conduct clearance and repair work at the venues affected under its management, the department urges the public not to go near or enter the cordoned-off areas in these venues for the sake of safety.

     Details of extended opening hours and special arrangements for selected venues during the Mid-Autumn Festival period are as follows:

September 24 and 25 (Mid-Autumn Festival and the day following Mid-Autumn Festival)
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Jordan Valley Park (Kwun Tong District)
September 24: 5am to 1am
                      (extended by two hours)
September 25: 5am to 11.30pm
                      (extended by half an hour)

September 24 (Mid-Autumn Festival)
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Hong Kong Park (Central and Western District)
– Outdoor facilities
6am to midnight (extended by one hour)

Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (Central and Western District)
– Fountain Terrace Garden
5am to midnight (extended by two hours)

Aldrich Bay Park (Eastern District)
– Water Feature and Fisherman Hut Pavilion
6.30am to 11.30pm (extended by one hour)

Ngau Chi Wan Park (Wong Tai Sin District)
6.30am to midnight (extended by one hour)

Tsing Yi Park (Kwai Tsing District)
5.30am to midnight (extended by half an hour)

Tsing Yi Northeast Park (Kwai Tsing District)
5.30am to midnight (extended by half an hour)

North District Park (North District)
6am to midnight (extended by one hour)

Hong Kong Velodrome Park (Sai Kung District)
– Artificial Lake
6.30am to 1am (extended by two hours)
 
September 25 (the day following Mid-Autumn Festival)
————————————————————-
 
Central Lawn of Victoria Park (Wan Chai District)
Temporarily closed from 2am to 5am for cleaning operations
 
     The LCSD appeals to the public to keep places clean and tidy, take away their belongings while leaving the venues and put trash into litter box, and not to burn wax or fly sky lanterns when celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.

     "To provide a better environment for members of the public to enjoy the festive occasion, we appeal to them not to burn or melt wax. They should not sprinkle or pour liquids onto hot wax. Metal cans or non-flammable containers should be used to collect melted wax for easy disposal into litter bins after the containers cool down," a spokesman for the LCSD said.

     "Moreover, members of the public should not throw glow sticks or other objects onto trees, as doing so may cause damage to the trees and affect the cleanliness of venues. Furthermore, they should not fly sky lanterns as it might cause injuries or damage to property."

     Noting that a new set of television and radio Announcements in the Public Interest has been launched to make similar public appeals, the spokesman said patrols will also be stepped up at the department's venues today. About 1 000 staff will be deployed to take enforcement action against littering, wax burning, throwing objects onto trees and flying sky lanterns on these two nights. Littering offenders will be issued with a fixed penalty notice with a fine of $1,500, while those who burn wax, throw objects onto trees or fly sky lanterns might be prosecuted.

     According to the Pleasure Grounds Regulation, no person shall, in any pleasure ground, melt or burn any wax; sprinkle or pour any liquid onto any hot wax; damage any part of any tree, shrub or plant; or fly kites, model aircraft, balloons, sky lanterns or other devices. According to the Bathing Beaches Regulation, no person shall, on any bathing beach, do any act which is likely to endanger or obstruct any other person using the beach, or damage, deface or pollute the beach or anything situated thereon. Any person who is convicted is liable to a maximum fine of $2,000 and 14 days' imprisonment.

     Members of the public may call the LCSD's hotline on 2414 5555 to report any wax burning or flying sky lantern cases, or other irregularities found at LCSD venues.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Hong Kong Monetary Authority Exchange Fund Bills Tender Results
 

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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning October 1:
 

     Firing practice will take place at two military sites, namely the San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range and the Tsing Shan Firing Range, next month (October).
 
     Red flags or red lamps will be hoisted at the firing areas before and during firing practice. For their safety, people are advised not to enter the firing area.
 
     Following are the dates and times for the firing practice sessions in October 2018:
 
San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range
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Tsing Shan Firing Range
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     The Labour Department (LD) today (September 24) reminded employers to make prior work arrangements for staff in times of rainstorms.
 
     "To avoid disputes and confusion, employers should make prior work arrangements for staff and contingency measures in times of rainstorms," an LD spokesman said.
 
     "In working out and enforcing the arrangements, employers should give prime consideration to employees' safety both in the workplace and during their journeys to and from work, and adopt a flexible approach. Whenever possible, they should consult their staff."
 
     The work arrangements should cover the following matters:
 
* Whether employees are required to report for duty when different rainstorm warnings are issued;
* After a rainstorm warning is cancelled, the time for staff who have not reported for duty to resume work and the arrangements;
* How wages and allowances will be calculated for staff who are required to report for duty, as well as those who are late for work or absent from work during rainstorms; and
* For employees who are required to travel to and from workplaces during rainstorms, whether transport facilities will be provided for them and, if so, the arrangements.
 
     "Employers should make realistic assessments of the requirements for staff and require only absolutely essential staff to report for duty in adverse weather conditions. If an Amber, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is issued during working hours, employees working indoors should remain on duty as usual and stay where they are unless it is dangerous to do so. Supervisors of employees working outdoors in exposed areas should suspend outdoor duties as soon as practicable. They should arrange for their employees to take shelter temporarily and resume duty when weather conditions permit. When the Black Rainstorm Warning is issued, those employees should not resume duty until the warning is lowered and weather conditions permit. If the Black Rainstorm Warning remains in force at the end of working hours, for safety reasons, employers should provide employees with an area in the workplace as temporary shelter for them to stay if they want to.
 
     "If possible, employers should provide transport services for employees who are still required to travel to and from workplaces when the Black Rainstorm Warning is in force, or give them a special travelling allowance as encouragement.
 
     "For staff who have practical difficulties in resuming work promptly upon cancellation of a rainstorm warning, employers should give due consideration to the circumstances of individual employees and handle each case flexibly.
 
     "As rainstorms are natural occurrences that cannot be avoided, employers should not deduct wages of employees who are absent from or late for work because of inclement weather. Neither should employers dismiss an employee summarily based on these grounds," he said.
 
     The spokesman also reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Minimum Wage Ordinance.
 
     Employers should not deduct the annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days employees are entitled to under the Employment Ordinance so as to compensate for the loss of working hours resulting from employees' failure to report for duty upon the announcement of a Black Rainstorm Warning. An employer who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with relevant provisions under the Employment Ordinance is liable to prosecution.
 
     Employers should also note that they have an obligation to maintain a safe workplace for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.
 
     "If employees are required to work in times of rainstorms, employers should ensure that the risks at work are properly controlled and reduced to levels that are as low as reasonably practicable," the spokesman said.
 
     Under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for deaths or injury incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above or a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force.
 
     To provide practical guidelines and samples of work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees, the LD has issued the booklet "Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms". The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).

     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 (September 24) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms" 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 the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent 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 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.