Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Government yesterday (February 28) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective f… read more

     Hong Kong Customs today (March 1) alerted members of the public to the potential thermal burn injury posed by two models of external power banks and advised them to stop using the products for safety’s sake.

     Customs officers recently conducted spot checks and test-purchased six models of external power banks for safety testing. Test results revealed that two of the models failed the thermal burn injury test when using the wireless charging function if an object was placed between the power bank and the device being charged. Therefore, the products did not comply with the relevant international product safety standard.

     Customs officers later conducted operations and seized a total of 80 pieces of one of the models of suspected unsafe external power banks from a retailer and a wholesaler. Prohibition notices were also served on retailers and the wholesaler concerned, prohibiting the continued sale of the two models of external power banks concerned.

     Apart from the retailers and the wholesaler connected with the case, Customs officers also conducted spot checks and inspections in various districts. Those two models of products have not been found on sale so far. An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs reminds members of the public to observe the following safety tips when purchasing and using external power banks:
 

• Purchase external power banks manufactured by reputable brands and equipped with short-circuit protection devices, including overcharging, overcurrent and battery temperature protection devices, and choose charger cables produced by original manufacturers;
• External power banks in use should be placed in an environment with good ventilation so as not to obstruct heat dissipation from the batteries and to minimise the risk of a short circuit. Devices being charged should not be placed near inflammable substances such as clothes;
• Avoid prolonged charging and unplug the external power bank immediately after it is fully charged;
• When charging the external power bank, do not use it to charge mobile phones or other devices to avoid overload or combustion; and
• Avoid putting any objects between the wireless power bank and the device being charged while conducting wireless charging.

     Customs is committed to the protection of consumer interests and regularly conducts spot checks and safety tests on consumer goods to ensure that they are reasonably safe for use by consumers.

     Under the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import into Hong Kong consumer goods unless the goods comply with the general safety requirements for consumer goods. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on subsequent conviction.

     Members of the public with information relating to unsafe consumer goods may make a report via Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk). read more

     The Labour Department (LD) announced today (March 1) that with immediate effect, the Government relaxed certain requirements for the care sector to import care workers under the Supplementary Labour Scheme (SLS) for three months ending on May 31.
 
     An LD spokesman said, “During the outbreaks of the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of hundreds of residential care homes (RCHs) for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Hong Kong have been infected which have substantially increased the need for care services. At the same time, more and more care workers are also infected which further aggravate the already tight manpower situation”.
 
     “To alleviate the grave challenge of manpower shortage in the care sector, the Government has decided to exempt the care sector from the prerequisite arrangement of undergoing four-week local recruitment under the SLS, flexibly approve the number of care workers to be imported having regard to the needs of individual RCHs and suspend the circulation of each application to the Labour Advisory Board for views during the aforesaid three-month period. These seek to expedite the processing of applications to address the urgent needs. Besides, subvented RCHs can apply for importation of care workers in accordance with the same requirements. All applicant RCHs shall continue to comply with the other SLS requirements.”
 
     RCHs for the elderly and persons with disabilities may browse the LD’s website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/form/eform/sld/note/EF0601/content.htm) for information about the SLS and downloading its application form. For enquiries, please call the SLS hotline at 2150 6363.
 
     Concurrently, to underpin all-out efforts to fight against the new wave of the pandemic, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) urgently recruits 1 000 temporary contract care staff from the Mainland direct to reinforce the manpower. These care staff will be engaged for three months and deployed to provide necessary care services in community isolation facilities and RCHs for the elderly, persons with disabilities and children who are suspected or confirmed to be infected. SWD has commissioned employment service agencies to proceed with the recruitment, and the HKSAR Government has also sought help from the Central People’s Government for coordination amongst the concerned Mainland authorities to provide facilitation on speedy approval of applications.
 
     All along, RCHs for the elderly and persons with disabilities may make use of the employment services of LD to recruit local employees. The LD’s Interactive Employment Services website has set up a dedicated webpage for the elderly care and rehabilitation services sector (www.jobs.gov.hk/0/en/JobSeeker/jobsearch/quickview/careservices/) to facilitate job seekers to browse the relevant job vacancies. Job seekers may also make use of the LD’s Telephone Employment Service Centre and Job Centres to enquire about the relevant job vacancies and receive employment services by telephone (telephone numbers are shown at www.jobs.gov.hk/0/en/information/ourservices/jobcentres).
 
     The spokesman continued, “In face of the current severe pandemic, we urge the community to make concerted efforts to fight against the pandemic”.  read more

     â€‹Hongkong Post said today (March 1) that as some postal staff members have received positive results when undergoing COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, Tuen Mun Central Post Office is closed until March 2 and its Post Office … read more

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) said today (March 1) that, given the occurrence of a confirmed COVID-19 case involving a Clerical Assistant responsible for providing support services at the Travel Documents and Nationality (Application) Section on 4/F, the service at the said office and the Travel Documents (Issue) Section is suspended today in the morning. After thorough cleaning of the office, the service for urgent application for and collection of Hong Kong travel documents will resume today at 1pm. During the service suspension, members of the public in need may contact 2852 3045 for enquiries. Alternatively, they may send their enquiries by email to enquiry@immd.gov.hk or by fax at 2877 7711.

     The ImmD has arranged the staff of the office to undergo COVID-19 testing. The ImmD will continue to maintain close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health and actively cooperate with the CHP’s quarantine arrangements. The ImmD has also reminded its staff to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant. Staff have been reminded to seek medical advice and inform the department as soon as possible if feeling unwell. read more