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Wednesday, April 25, 1973
GREATER SAFETY FOR WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES
New Regulations Prescribe Precautionary Measures
A set of new regulations to ensure greater safety for those required
to work in confined spaces was today approved by the Legislative Council.
The regulations, entitled the Factories and Industrial Undertakings
(Confined Spaces) Regulations 1973, prescribe certain safety measures to be
observed by both proprietors and workers. Details of the regulations will
be published in Friday's Government Gazette.
Speaking in the Legislative Council today, the Commissioner of Labour,
Mr. Paul Tsui, said that working in confined spaces such as chambers, tanks, wells,
vats pits, tunnels, pipes, flues, boilers and pressure receivers was hazardous
because workers were known to have been overcome by dangerous fumes in such places.
He said that during the period January 1968 to February 1973, officers
of the Labour Department had investigated 16 such accidents in which 14 workers
were killed.
**Such sad incidents might have been reduced, if not totally avoided, had
precautionary measures, such as those which are now prescribed in those regulations.
been taken," he said.
Under the regulations, every confined space in an industrial undertaking,
unless there are other exits, must be provided with a manhole of adequate size.
Anyone entering a confined space must be authorized by the proprietor
and must wear an approved breathing apparatus. Where practicable, he should
also wear a belt with a rope securely attached.
These
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