17
FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1980
WORKERS WARNED OF FAULTY ROPES
*****
WORKERS ARE WARNED TO CLOSELY EXAMINE ROPES USED IN LIFTING AND CARRYING LOADS TO ENSURE THEY ARE IN A SATISFACTORY CONDITION TO AVOID ACCIDENTS.
THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION GIVEN BY THE CORONER WHO INQUIRED INTO THE DEATH OF A 16-YEAR-OLD YOUTH WHO WAS HIT BY A FALLING ROLLER-BOARD WHILE WATCHING CARGO WORK ACTIVITIES ON BOARD A LIGHTER IN MARCH THIS YEAR. A VERDICT OF +ACCIDENTAL DEATH+ WAS RETURNED.
THE CORONER ADVISED THAT ROPES USED FOR SUCH A PURPOSE SHOULD BE PURCHASED FROM REPUTABLE SUPPLIERS OR MANUFACTURERS.
HE SAID THAT THE ROPE IN QUESTION WAS COMPLETELY UNSUITED FOR ANY KIND OF LIFTING AND A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF IT REVEALED
ITS POOR QUALITY AND THAT ITS CORE WAS MANUFACTURED FROM VARIOUS TYPES OF SCRAP MATERIALS.
THE CORONER SAID HE WAS CONCERNED THAT SUCH ROPES MAY BE FREELY AVAILABLE AT SHIP'S CHANDLERS AND SIMILAR MERCHANTS AND MANY WORKERS COULD BE ENDANGERED.
37 PEOPLE PRESENTED WITH LIFE SAVING AWARDS
****
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN, THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON PRESENTED HONG KONG LIFE GUARD CLUB RESCUE STARS TO 37 PEOPLE WHO DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN RESCUING PEOPLE FROM THE SEA.
SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF LIFE SAVING AWARDS ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG LIFE GUARD CLUB, MR RIDDELL-SWAN RECALLED THAT THE FIRST OF THE CEREMONIES WAS HELD 18 YEARS AGO.
SINCE THEN, HE SAID, THE CLUB AND HIS DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE AIM OF SAVING LIVES AT SEA AND HE WAS GRATIFIED BY THE RESULTS OF THIS LONG AND SUCCESSFUL ASSOCIATION.
HE SAID THE 499 HONG KONG RESCUE AWARDS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE 1962, GIVE SOME IDEA OF OUR SUCCESS.+
MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID HE WAS MOST IMPRESSED BY THE WAY THE CLUB HAD GROWN AND THE EXTENT AND DIVERSIFICATION OF ITS INVOLVEMENT NOT ONLY IN ITS PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF LIFE SAVING BUT IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IN GENERAL.
DURING THE YEAR, HE SAID, THE CLUB TRAINED NEARLY 10 000 YOUNG PEOPLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY'S AWARDS- TAUGHT MORE THAN 1 200 PEOPLE TO SWIM AND ORGANISED CLASSES FOR LIFE GUARDS.
/+E. DESPITE