THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1982
GAS SAFETY REPORT RELEASED
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THE TOWNGAS AND LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG HAVE NOW REACHED SUCH A STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT GREATER GOVERNMENT CONTROL BY EXPERT STAFF IS NEEDED TO ENSURE A CONTINUOUS UPGRADING OF SAFETY STANDARDS.
THIS IS THE MAIN CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE GAS CONSULTANTS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE SAFETY AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF TOWNGAS AND LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS OPERATIONS IN HONG KONG.
THE CONSULTANTS RECOMMEND THAT A COMMISSIONER FOR GAS SERVICES SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO HEAD A NEW GAS STANDARDS ORGANISATION AND TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE GAS ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR INCREASED CONTROLS.
THE STUDY, UNDERTAKEN BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICE OF THE BRITISH GAS CORPORATION, INVOLVED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE SAFETY AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE FULL RANGE OF TOWNGAS AND LPG OPERATIONS INCLUDING MANUFACTURE, IMPORTATION, STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION AND UTILISATION.
ON TOWNGAS OPERATIONS, THE CONSULTANTS CONSIDER THE ENGINEERING STANDARDS ADOPTED AND THE OVERALL SAFETY RECORD TO BE GOOD, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF STANDARDS RELATING TO THE OPEN FLUES FITTED TO SOME WATER HEATERS, THEY HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE CONGESTION WITHIN THE HONG KONG AND CHINA GAS COMPANY'S PRODUCTION AND STORAGE WORKS AND THEIR CLOSE PROXIMITY TO RESIDENTIAL AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS, IMPOSED BY THE LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE.
AS REGARDS LPG, THE OVERALL SAFETY RECORD HAS ALSO BEEN SATISFACTORY BUT THE CONSULTANTS HAVE REPORTED THAT THE STANDARDS ADOPTED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE TRADE VARY FROM THE HIGHEST TO UNSATISFACTORY.
NOTING THAT THE USE OF GAS IN HONG KONG HAS INCREASED VERY RAPIDLY OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, THE NUMBER OF GAS CONSUMERS HAVING RISEN FROM 15 000 IN 1961 TO 800 000 TODAY, THE CONSULTANTS CONSIDER THAT HONG KONG SHOULD ADOPT MODERN, INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED SAFETY STANDARDS TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH GAS OPERATIONS AND USAGE.
TO THIS END, THEY HAVE PUT FORWARD OVER 40 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, MANY OF WHICH ARE CONCERNED WITH TECHNICAL ASPECTS.
THE CONSULTANTS ENVISAGE THAT, IN LINE WITH HONG KONG'S USUAL APPROACH, IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY STANDARDS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED MAINLY THROUGH VOLUNTARY ACTION BY THE INDUSTRY. THE GOVERNMENT OULD HAVE TO STEF IN IF THIS PROVES INSUFFICIENT.
BUT
COMMENTING ON THIS RECOMMENDATION. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE PRINCIPLE OF INCREASED OVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO ENSURE GREATER SAFETY THE GA INDUST- MA. EEN ACCEPTED EY THE
GOVERNMENT.
STAFF REQUIRE
LAST JULY
P HAVE ALREAD
YEA OR
EN NITIATED TO RECRUIT THE KEY ATION, FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION LITTED THE CONSULTANTS.
Y
/A POST