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SUNDAY, MAY 1, 1983
DANGER OF RESIDUAL FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCE
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A USED CONTAINER OF FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES LOOKS HARMLESS, BUT THE RESIDUAL SUBSTANCES INSIDE MIGHT BE QUITE DANGEROUS.
ON COMING INTO CONTACT WITH FLAMES, THE RESIDUAL SUBSTANCES MIGHT GIVE RISE TO AN EXPLOSION.
THIS WARNING WAS GIVEN BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY (SUNDAY) FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE ON HONG KONG ISLAND LAST MONTH IN WHICH TWO WORKERS WERE INJURED WHILE CUTTING A 200-LITRE METAL DRUM USED TO STORE FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES WITH OXYGEN-ACCETYLENE GAS.
DURING THE CUTTING PROCESS. AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED WHEN THE RESIDUAL FLAMMABLE VAPOUR INSIDE THE DRUM WAS IGNITED BY HEAT FROM THE PROCESS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES HAD BEEN TAKEN.
HE ADVISED WORKERS DOING SIMILAR WORK TO REMOVE THE LID OF THE DRUM TO ENABLE THE RESIDUAL VAPOUR TO DISPERSE AND THEN CLEAN THE DRUM WITH LOW PRESSURE STEAM UNTIL IT IS FREE OF RESIDUAL SUBSTANCES.
THE ALTERNATIVE MEASURE, HE ADDED, WAS TO FILL THE DRUM WITH WATER TO SLIGHTLY BELOW THE LEVEL WHERE THE DRUM IS TO BE CUT.
+ANYONE HANDLING USED CONTAINERS OF FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES SHOULD EXERCISE CARE. IF ANY FACTORY PROPRIETOR OR BUILDING CONTRACTOR NEEDS ANY ADVICE, HE CAN CONTACT ANY BRANCH OFFICES OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
TIN HAU FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS
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THE ANNUAL TIN HAU FESTIVAL WILL FALL ON THURSDAY, MAY 5, THIS YEAR AND LAVISH CELEBRATIONS WILL BE HELD IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE FESTIVAL HAS SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO BOAT PEOPLE WHO PRAY TO THE GODDESS OF TIN HAU FOR FAIR WEATHER AND GOOD TIDINGS ALL YEAR ROUND.
THE MAJOR ATTRACTION WILL BE IN YUEN LONG WHERE A GRAND PROCESSION WITH 7 000 PEOPLE FROM 32 ORGANISATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE.
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