Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (August 20) will be cancelled.
If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-raising ceremony may be resumed without further notice.
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 (August 20) 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.
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 their notice to the Drainage Services Department by calling the 24-hour drainage hotline on 2300 1110.
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesman for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) made the following announcement today (August 19) regarding a safety incident of hospital facilities:
At around 8.15pm today, two pieces of spalling concrete, which are approximately 20 centimetres length and 30 centimetres width with three centimetres thickness, fell down along with the false ceiling in an integrated medical and geriatric male ward of PYNEH. Maintenance staff immediately arranged emergency repairs. No patients or staff were injured in the incident and patient service was not affected. As a precautionary measure, PYNEH immediately arranged to transfer patients in the affected cubicle to another cubicle.
The hospital is very concerned about the incident and has arranged safety inspections to the facilities in the ward again immediately. The hospital is investigating the cause of concrete spalling. The hospital has regular inspection of hospital facilities and the last inspection at this area was in April last year.
The hospital will report the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.
​The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, extended his warmest welcome to Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, Mr Shi Taifeng, for his visit and inspection of Hong Kong. Mr Lee met with Mr Shi at Government House today (August 19) to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. Also attending the meeting were the Executive Deputy Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, Mr Chen Xiaojiang; the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Zheng Yanxiong; Deputy Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee Mr Lin Rui; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Mr Nong Rong; the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC; ​the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.
Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to Mr Shi for visiting Hong Kong with his delegation to inspect the latest developments of the city, showing his care and concern for Hong Kong. Noting the recent victorious conclusion of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC in Beijing, Mr Lee said that the Plenary Session highlighted the need to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's status as an international financial, shipping, and trade centre by harnessing the institutional strengths of the "one country, two systems" principle; to support Hong Kong in building itself into an international hub for high-calibre talent; to improve relevant mechanisms for the city to play a greater role in the country's opening to the outside world; and to encourage co-operation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by fostering closer alignment of rules and mechanisms. Mr Lee also said that in addition to steering the country towards Chinese modernisation and high-quality development, the Plenary Session also provided important guidance for the long-term development, prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Mr Lee added that the HKSAR, including the Government and all sectors of the community, should earnestly learn, have a thorough understanding of and implement the spirit of the Plenary Session, and make active efforts to understand, respond to and embrace changes while staying proactive, pragmatic, principled, innovative, perseverant and dedicated, so that the HKSAR could shoulder the responsibility of further deepening reform comprehensively, and implement and uphold the spirit of the Plenary Session in the city's everyday affairs.
Mr Lee noted that the HKSAR Government will continue to fully and accurately implement the "one country, two systems" principle, with a focus on creating strong impetus for growth, improving the HKSAR's governance system, resolutely implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" and strengthening Hong Kong's patriotic forces with a love for the city. The HKSAR Government will continue to actively promote efforts from different sectors of the community in leveraging Hong Kong's strengths to serve the country's needs, in a bid to contribute to the building of a great country in all respects and advancing toward national rejuvenation through Chinese modernisation.
