୨
ON
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1984
BLASTING SITES SUBJECT TO STRICT CONDITIONS
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ALL BLASTING SITES ARE SUBJECT TO STRICT CONDITIONS TO PROTECT NEIGHBOURING PEOPLE AND PROPERTY, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR AND COMMISSIONER FOR MINES, THE HON RON BRIDGE SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE CONDITIONS COVER SUCH POINTS AS THE TYPE, AMOUNT AND TIMING OF EXPLOSIVES, THE POSITION AND ANGLE OF BLASTING HOLES AND THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF SCREENING REQUIRED.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON S. L. CHEN ON THE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO PREVENT SIMILAR ACCIDENTS IN FUTURE, IN VIEW OF THE CONSIDERABLE DISTURBANCE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE RECENT BLASTING OPERATIONS AT THE MTR CONSTRUCTION SITE AT QUARRY BAY.
MR BRIDGE SAID ALL SHOTFIRERS HAVE TO BE EXAMINED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MINES AND TO SATISFY HIM THAT THEY ARE COMPETENT. THEY ARE RE-EXAMINED EVERY THREE YEARS OR MORE FREQUENTLY IF NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THEIR SKILLS ARE UP-TO-DATE.
+ALL SITES, PARTICULARLY THOSE NEAR BUILT-UP AREAS, ARE INSPECTED REGULARLY AND FREQUENTLY BY, EXPLOSIVES OFFICERS AND ANY IRREGULARITIES LEAD TO IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF THE BLASTING PERMIT UNTIL THINGS HAVE BEEN PUT RIGHT, HE SAID.
+ IF APPROPRIATE, THE SHOTFIRER'S CERTIFICATE IS SUSPENDED AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE ARE PROSECUTED.+
MR BRIDGE SAID THE LEGAL PENALTIES FOR INFRINGING BLASTING SITE CONDITIONS WERE BEING REVIEWED AND, SUBJECT TO THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, PROPOSALS FOR INCREASED PENALTIES WOULD BE PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
IN THE CASE OF THE KORNHILL ACCIDENT, MR BRIDGE SAID THE BLASTING PERMIT FOR THAT PART OF THE SITE WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED HAD BEEN SUSPENDED AND THE RELEVANT SHOTFIRERS HAD HAD THE IR CERTIFICATES SUSPENDED.
+AN EXPLOSIVES OFFICER HAS REPORTED ON THE CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE POLICE ARE CONSIDERING PROSECUTION, HE SAID.
+THE BLASTING PERMIT WILL NOT BE RE-INSTATED UNTIL THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MINES IS SATISFIED THAT NO SIMILAR ACCIDENT WILL RECUR. THE SHOTFIRERS WILL NOT HAVE THEIR CERTIFICATES REVALIDATED UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN RE-EXAMINED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MINES AND SATISFIED HIM THAT THEY ARE COMPETENT, + MR BRIDGE ADDED.
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