SUNDAY, JULY 27, 1980
CODE OF PRACTICE ON WORKING AT HEIGHTS
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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S FACTORY INSPECTORATE AND THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION HAVE JOINTLY TAKEN A MAJOR STEP IN A BID TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES.
THE JOINT ACTION IS IN THE FORM OF A CODE OF PRACTICE ON SCAFFOLDS AND PLATFORMS, PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HONG KONG, SCAFFOLDING MERCHANTS GENERAL ASSOCIATION.
THE DEPARTMENT'S OUR FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR CHAN SHIU-LAP, STRESSED TODAY (SUNDAY) THAT THE CODE WAS AIMED AT REDUCING ACCIDENTS WHERE WORKERS FELL FROM HEIGHTS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT LAST YEA MORE THAN 2 000 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE INJURED, SOME SERIOUSLY, IN FALLS WHILE WORKING, AND ABOUT 30 OF THEM DIED AS A RESULT.
+ INVESTIGATIONS INTO THESE ACCIDENTS REVEALED THAT IF THEIR EMPLOYERS HAD MADE CERTAIN SAFETY PROVISIONS AND HAD TAKEN SUFFICIENT PRECAUTIONS, THE TRAGEDIES WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED,+ HE NOTED.
SAFETY
MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE CODE SET OUT PRACTICAL SAFETY GUIDELINES TO ASSIST CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO COMPLY WITH SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS 1978,
IT WAS INTENDED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THOSE WORKING AT
AT HEIGHTS, IN PARTICULAR ON SCAFFOLDS AND HIGH PLATFORMS, CONSTRUCTION SITES.
APPEALING TO CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS TO OBSERVE THE GUIDELINES, MR CHAN EMPHASISED THAT THE CODE WAS MEANT TO PROTECT WORKERS AND BENEFIT EMPLOYERS BY REDUCING LOSS OF WORK-TIME AND COMPENSATION.
HE WARNED THAT FAILURE TO TAKE THESE GUIDELINES SERIOUSLY MIGHT CONSTITUTE AN OFFENCE UNDER THE REGULATIONS FOR WHICH THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WAS $10 000.
THE CODE SETS OUT THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES
1.
2.
3.
THE ERECTION, ALTERATTON OR DISMANTLING OF A SCAFFOLD SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY A PERSON OR PERSONS COMPETENT IN SUCH OPERATIONS.
ALL SCAFFOLDS SHOULD BE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND INSPECTED BY A COMPETENT PERSON AND A RECORD OF SUCH INSPECTION SHOULD BE KEPT.
SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR WORKERS WORKING ON OR FROM A DOUBLE-ROW SCAFFOLD.
14.
A SCAFFOLD