Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
The Civil Engineering and Development Department today (June 15) announced that the Chai Wan Public Fill Barging Point will be reopened at 8.45am.
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) expressed concern over a maintenance work accident at Chemical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) today (June 14), which resulted in the injuries of 10 staff of the maintenance work contractor.
The incident occurred at 9.15am when a temporary metal scaffold was suspected to have collapsed during the annual maintenance work of an incinerator at the CWTC in Tsing Yi, causing multiple injuries. Ten workers, aged 22 to 61, were sent to three hospitals for treatment.
The 10 workers were hired by the maintenance work contractor of the operator of the CWTC. The EPD offered condolences to the injured and will provide appropriate assistance.
The EPD is highly concerned about the accident and has requested the operator of the CWTC to submit a report within a month for the department's follow-up investigation. The EPD will also co-operate with the Labour Department in its investigation.
The metal scaffold concerned is a temporary structure constructed for maintenance work of the incinerator. An initial assessment revealed the structure of the CWTC has not been affected by the incident.
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a serious work accident that happened at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre in Tsing Yi this morning (June 14), in which ten workers were injured when a metal scaffold erected inside the chimney of a combustion chamber for repairing and maintenance work collapsed.
​ The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned and the occupier of the premises, suspending the use, erection, alteration and dismantling of the metal scaffolds as well as any works carried out in the combustion chamber. The contractors concerned and the occupier of the premises cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken."
The spokesman added, "We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require occupiers of premises/employers to provide safe means of access and egress and safe working environments, plant and systems of work for the employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months.
In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.
A man who went missing in Mong Kok has been located.
Wong Kin-yu, aged 84, went missing after he left his residence on Tong Mei Road on June 10 afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.
The man returned to his residence on June 11 evening. He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
As at noon today (June 14), six COVID-19 confirmed patients (case numbers: 1061, 1062, 1070, 1076, 1077 and 1083) were discharged from hospital in the past 24 hours. So far, a total of 1 067 patients with confirmed or probable infections have been discharged.
At present, there are 644 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 199 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 39 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in seven hospitals, among which three patients are in critical condition (case numbers: 595, 1084 and 1100), one patient is in serious condition (case number: 1092) and the remaining 35 patients are in stable condition.
The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.