Tag Archives: China

     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 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 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. read more

     The Transport Department (TD) today (September 24) alerted members of the public to a fraudulent SMS message purportedly issued by the HKeToll. The SMS message spoofed the name "HKeToll" and provided a hyperlink … read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:      Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding that comes to … read more

     â€‹A property owner who persistently failed to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) was convicted in May 2024 and subsequently fined over $70,000 at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts earlier this month.

     The case involved unauthorised building works (UBWs) with an area of about 48 square metres on the roof of a village house in D.D.6, Tai Po. Since the Lands Department would not issue a certificate of exemption for the UBWs and the UBWs were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

     Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD two times and was fined over $10,000 in total upon convictions by the court. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted for the third time and was convicted again at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on May 28, 2024. The court adjourned the hearing and ordered the owner to report on the status of the removal of the UBWs before handing down a sentence. On the adjourned hearing date of September 3, the owner still had not complied with the order. Eventually the owner was fined $73,400, of which $48,400 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, by the court.

     A spokesman for the BD today (September 24) said, “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. The owners concerned must comply with the removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement actions and consider instigating prosecution against the owners again if they persist in not complying with the orders, so as to ensure building safety.”

     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. read more

     â€‹The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, is on his way to Chengdu, Sichuan, this morning (September 24), where he has been invited by the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda … read more