THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1980
MR GREENFIELD SAID THAT A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE SURVEY, IN CHINESE AND ENGLISH, IS AVAILABLE AND COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL.
HE ADDED THAT SIMILAR INFORMATION ON EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IS SOUGHT AT REGULAR SIX-MONTHLY INTERVALS. THE NEXT LABOUR FORCE SURVEY WILL BE IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR WORKERS IN ENCLOSED COMPARTMENTS
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NO PERSON SHOULD ENTER ANY BUOYANCY COMPARTMENT OR SIMILAR ENCLOSED SPACE OF A VESSEL UNLESS HE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO DO SO BY THE OWNER OF THE VESSEL.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE CORONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN INQUIRY INTO THE DEATH OF TWO CREWMEMBERS WHO WERE FOUND UNCONSCIOUS INSIDE A BUOYANCY COMPARTMENT OF A BARGE ON MARCH 30 THIS YEAR.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WERE THAT BUOYANCY TANKS SHOULD BE ADEQUATELY VENTILATED AND THE AIR INSIDE TESTED FOR ANY DANGEROUS FUMES OR OXYGEN DEFICIENCY BEFORE WORKERS ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER.
THIS SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO COFFERDAMS, VOID SPACES, BALLAST TANKS, PIPE DUCTS AND OTHER COMPARTMENTS WHICH ARE NORMALLY SECURED IN CLOSED CONDITION.
+VENTILATION SHOULD BE ADEQUATE AND STEPS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT NO HARMFUL GASES ARE GENERATED WITHIN OR ALLOWED TO ENTER THE COMPARTMENT.
+WORKERS OPERATING IN COMPARTMENTS SHOULD WORK IN PAIRS AND SHOULD HAVE PROPER AND ADEQUATE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH A COLLEAGUE OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE, SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CORONER'S OFFICE .
IN THE EVENT THAT A COMPARTMENT HAS TO BE ENTERED BEFORE TESTS HAVE BEEN MADE OF THE ATMOSPHERE INSIDE, EVERY PERSON WHO ENTERS MUST WEAR AN APPROVED BREATHING APPARATUS AND A SAFETY BELT OR HARNESS WITH A ROPE SECURELY ATTACHED TO IT. THE FREE END OF THE ROPE MUST BE HELD BY ANOTHER PERSON OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE AND WITH SUFFICIENT ADDITIONAL HELP AVAILABLE SO THAT THE PERSONS INSIDE MAY BE PULLED OUT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
+SUITABLE REVIVING APPARATUS SHOULD BE PROVIDED AND KEPT READILY AVAILABLE IN A SATISFACTORY CONDITION AND A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF PERSONS PRACTISED IN METHODS OF RESTORING RESPIRATION SHOULD BE EMPLOYED,+SAID THE SPOKESMAN.
/THE CORONER