The modern day phenomenon of fast fashion has resulted in trendy, inexpensive garments being bought, worn a few times and ending up in landfills. The Redress Design Award – the world's largest sustainable fashion design competition – has been working on reversing this trend since 2011.
 
     News.gov.hk spoke to two of the award's participants and Redress' programme director to find out how the competition inspires designers to create mainstream clothing with minimal textile waste, and what events are lined up to celebrate the award's 10th cycle.
 
     The story appears on news.gov.hk today (January 12) in text and video format.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (January 11) that Tung Chung Swimming Pool in Islands District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of faeces in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 6.30am tomorrow.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.

     In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau gives the following reply today (January 11):

     With the arrangement of the National Health Commission, the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Chui Tak-yi, together with representatives from the Department of Health and Hospital Authority, will depart for Wuhan, Hubei Province on January 13 to learn about the situation of the cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, prevention and control measures and clinical management. They will return to Hong Kong on January 14.

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a work accident that happened at a landfill site in Tseung Kwan O today (January 11), in which a male worker was pressed to death by a crushing machine. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim's family.

     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 and employer concerned , suspending the maintenance and use of the crushing machine on the workplace. The employers 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 the 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.

     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.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     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.