GOVERNMENT ACTS ON GAS CONSULTANTS REPORT
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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT, FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION OF A PRELIMINARY REPORT BY ITS GAS SAFETY CONSULTANTS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN SOME DECISIONS TO PREPARE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE CONSULTANTS LATER IN THE YEAR. THESE INCLUDED THE CREATION OF A POST OF GAS ADVISER WITH SOME SUPPORTING STAFF AND THE PUBLICATION OF THE CONSULTANTS' PRELIMINARY COMMENTS ON GAS APPLIANCES.
ACTION HAD ALREADY BEEN PUT IN HAND, HE ADDED, ON THE CORONER'S RIDERS AT THE INQUEST INTO FIVE GAS WATER-HEATER-RELATED DEATHS LAST MONTH.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICE OF THE BRITISH GAS CORPORATION WAS APPOINTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN APRIL TO UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE TOWN GAS AND LPG INDUSTRIES AND TO ADVISE ON LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER CONTROL MEASURES WHICH THEY MIGHT CONSIDER TO BE NECESSARY.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE FULL REPORT OF THE CONSULTANTS WAS EXPECTED IN OCTOBER. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CONSULTANCY, THEY HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED A PRELIMINARY REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT IN JUNE, WHICH OUTLINED THE WORK DONE SO FAR AND IDENTIFIED AREAS FOR FURTHER STUDY,
IN THE FIRST WEEKS OF THEIR CONSULTANCY, THE CONSULTANTS HAD UNDERTAKEN A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE INDUSTRY AND HAD PAID PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE SUBJECT OF GAS WATER HEATERS. THEY HAD SUBMITTED TO GOVERNMENT THEIR PRELIMINARY FINDINGS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN VIEW OF PUBLIC INTEREST AND CONCERN, THE SECTION WHICH DEALT WITH GAS WATER HEATERS WAS BEING PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION.
THE CONTENTS OF THIS SECTION COVERED THE BACKGROUND TO THE USE OF WATER HEATERS, AND WENT ON TO MAKE CERTAIN PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE SAFE USE OF TOWN GAS AND LPG WATER HEATERS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THE SAFETY OF GAS APPLIANCES COULD BE ENFORCED WOULD NEED TO BE INTEGRATED WITH OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ON ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF GAS SAFETY. THE CONSULTANTS WERE NOW CONSIDERING THESE MATTERS
IN DETAIL WITH A VIEW TO PRODUCING POSITIVE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE IR FINAL REPORT.
THE AREAS WHICH THE CONSULTANTS HAD IDENTIFIED AS REQUIRING FURTHER STUDY INCLUDED THE METHOD OF CONTROLS, THEIR LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, THE ENFORCEMENT MACHINERY AND A RANGE OF TECHNICAL ASPECTS COVERING THE MANUFACTURE OR IMPORTATION, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION, DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF TOWN GAS AND LPG IN HONG
KONG.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN STEPS IN LINE WITH THE CONSULTANTS' PRELIMINARY FINDINGS. ACTION WAS IN TRAIN TO APPOINT A GAS EXPERT WHO WOULD ULTIMATELY TAKE UP RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING OUT THE IR RECOMMENDATIONS, WITH THE HELP OF A SUPPORTING INSPECTORATE.
THE APPOINTMENT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT ONE, AND WOULD BE AT DIRECTORATE LEVEL. ARRANGEMENTS WERE IN HAND TO CREATE THE POST AND TO ADVERTISE IT INTERNATIONALLY.
THE SPOKE