Tag Archives: China

     The Labour Department (LD) is very concerned about an accident happened earlier in Happy Valley that involved the collapse of scaffold. The LD today urges contractors of construction sites to stay vigilant in times of inclement weather, and to make suitable work arrangements and take necessary safety precautions at once to protect workers’ safety at work. 

     A spokesman for the LD today (October 11) said that contractors of construction sites should make reference to the “Code of Practice in Times of Typhoons and Rainstorms” and the “Guide on Safety at Work in Times of Inclement Weather” issued by the LD, and avoid assigning workers to carry out outdoor construction work, in particular scaffolding work and crane operation, at places affected by inclement weather.

     To ensure construction workers’ safety at work in times of inclement weather, when an advance notice of adverse weather warning is issued by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), contractors should, before commencement of work, conduct risk assessment on working under inclement weather conditions as early as possible for identifying and analysing related hazards, and develop a system of work that is safe and without risks to health for those employees who need to continue their work on site.  The system of work should include formulating safety plans and emergency plans, providing personal protective equipment, and accommodating workers in safety shelters or structures, to protect them from the adverse effects of strong wind, lightning or rainstorm. Contractors should be aware of special weather tips and warnings issued by the HKO, and keep monitoring changes in weather conditions in order to make appropriate work arrangements. In addition, contractors should adopt appropriate contingency measures, which should include, but not limited to, the following:

(i) secure all scaffoldings, hoardings, etc., remove or tighten loose materials and dismantle all canvas on the scaffolds;
(ii) place the jibs of cranes in an appropriate and safe position according to the manufacturers’ operation manuals; and
(iii) connect cranes and other tall lifting appliances to earth for protection from lightning.

     When an adverse weather warning is issued during working hours, contractors should make suitable arrangements following the established safety procedures. All outdoor work in exposed areas should be suspended immediately when workers are liable to be endangered by adverse weather conditions such as rainstorm, thunderstorm and typhoon. Workers should take temporary shelter in a safe place and resume duty only when weather conditions so permit. Pursuant to the relevant occupational safety and health legislation, contractors shall ensure that no crane is used under weather conditions likely to endanger its stability.
 
     After cancellation of the adverse weather warning, contractors should immediately conduct safety inspection, assess the effects of adverse weather conditions on the workplace, prohibit entry into areas that are still dangerous, and adopt appropriate safety measures before arranging workers to resume work. Upon resumption of work, contractors should ask competent persons/competent examiners to carry out thorough examination to outdoor installations, such as scaffoldings, falsework, lifting appliances, suspended working platforms, electrical installation and other plant, to ensure that they are in safe working conditions before operating or using them again. Contractors should also pay attention to weather broadcasts and maintain high alertness, and adopt corresponding safety measures if the thunderstorm, rainstorm and typhoon revive shortly after the cancellation or lowering of the warning signals. 

     The LD spokesman pointed out that the general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require contractors to provide safe working environment, safe 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.   read more

     The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been implemented for 228 days since February 26, 2021.        So far, about 8 835 300 doses of vaccines have been administered under the Vaccination Programme. D… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) and Create Hong Kong are supporting the 54th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, which is taking place in Sitges, Spain, from October 7 to 17 (Sitges time).

     Seven Hong Kong films are being screened. Two are acclaimed recent productions, namely Soi Cheang’s “Limbo” (2021), which won the Purple Mulberry award at the 23rd Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, in July 2021, and Chan Kin-long’s “Hand Rolled Cigarette” (2020), a project of the First Feature Film Initiative that won the White Mulberry award at the same festival. They are being presented as part of the Sitges official selection. Five Hong Kong films from the 1980s and 1990s are being screened as a “Black Magic Retrospective”: Ho Meng-hua’s “Evil Black Magic” (1992), Patrick Kong’s “Curse” (1988), Titus Ho’s “Red Spell Spells Red” (1983) and To Man-bo’s “Devil Sorcery” (1987) and “Bloody Sorcery” (1986).

     Speaking at a reception hosted by HKETO, Brussels in Sitges on October 10 (Sitges time), the Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Ms Grace Li, thanked the organiser for its long co-operation in presenting Hong Kong films to Spanish and international audiences.

     Ms Li said Hong Kong films are the strongest testimony to the lively creativity and unique culture of Hong Kong. She remarked that Hong Kong films embrace many different genres, but said the fantastic, thriller and black comedy genres the Sitges festival celebrates remain firm favourites, and there are some good Hong Kong examples of those in the “Black Magic Retrospective”.

     She underlined that “Hand Rolled Cigarette” was a project of the Hong Kong Government’s First Feature Film Initiative, which seeks to identify and nurture talents by providing financial support for young directors to make their first commercial feature films. The Initiative, now in its seventh year, has identified and provided a platform for 19 new directors so far, bringing many quality films to audiences.

     Founded in 1968, the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is the world’s leading fantasy film festival, attracting 200 000 visitors in 2019. It screens films related to the fantastic genre, including action and adventure movies and black comedies, with a special emphasis on thrillers.

    

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (October 11) investigating 12 suspected food poisoning clusters affecting 32 persons after having lunch or dinner at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui on Octobe… read more

     In response to a media report pertaining to the reclamation and fill materials for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands, a spokesman for the Development Bureau said the following today (October 11):
 
     The Government estimates that the fill materials required for the 1 000 hectares of Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands reclamation amount about 250 million to 300 million metric tons. This has all along been our estimate, and is not the latest assessment as mentioned in the media report. For the whole project, half of the materials for reclamation, i.e. about 125 million to 150 million metric tons, comprise inert construction waste (public fill) generated from construction projects. The rest is mainly manufactured sand, instead of marine sand as reported by the media.
 
     On average, about 15 million metric tons of public fill are generated every year in Hong Kong. In 10 to 15 years, about 150 million to 230 million metric tons of public fill will be generated. The Government will make the best use of the public fill and accord priority to using it in reclamation. The remaining fill materials are mainly manufactured sand, which is a by-product of quarries. The production volume of manufactured sand can be adjusted according to demand. Many quarries in the Pearl River Delta area of the Mainland can supply manufactured sand.
 
     Reclamation does not necessarily rely on marine sand as a fill material. In recent years, Hong Kong has been carrying out two large-scale reclamation projects concurrently, namely the Tung Chung East reclamation project and the Hong Kong International Airport Three-runway System reclamation project. The total area is about 800 hectares. The progress of the projects is satisfactory. The fill materials for the Tung Chung East reclamation project are all public fill and manufactured sand (public fill: 75 per cent; manufactured sand: 25 per cent). For the Three-runway System reclamation project, more than half of the fill materials comprise manufactured sand (manufactured sand: 60 per cent; public fill: 20 per cent; marine sand only accounts for 20 per cent).
 
     The Policy Address mentioned launching the studies for the Lung Kwu Tan near-shore reclamation, the planning and engineering studies for the re-planning of the Tuen Mun West area, and the Ma Liu Shui reclamation. We believe that even with these reclamation projects, with appropriate arrangements, the issues of fill materials will not affect the taking forward of the projects.
 
     Currently, there are two temporary fill banks in Hong Kong, one in Tuen Mun Area 38 and the other in Tseung Kwan O Area 137, with a total stockpiling capacity of around 20 million metric tons for storing reusable inert construction waste generated from local construction works. Local reclamation projects not only use the fill materials from fill banks, but also substantially absorb reusable construction waste generated from local construction works, facilitating the circular use of resources and alleviating the pressure on fill banks from saturation.
 
     In June this year, the Government appointed consultants to conduct detailed planning and engineering studies for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands, including the study of matters in relation to fill materials supply.
 
     In addition, the media report stated that the Government will study the introduction of land for light industries in the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands. We emphasise that the Government has always been planning to build Hong Kong’s third core business district, which would be comparable to the Central district, in the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands, instead of steering towards the direction of light industry development. read more