WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1986
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NEW ELECTRICITY BILL UNDER PREPARATION
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AN ELECTRICITY BILL ON THE SAFETY ELECTRICITY APPLIANCES AND INSTALLATION IS NOW UNDER PREPARATION, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON JOHN TODD, REVEALED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ANSWERING QUESTIONS BY THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN, MR TODD SAID THE PROPOSED BILL WOULD ENABLE REGULATIONS TO BE MADE TO DEFINE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED OF ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS AND HOW THEY WOULD BE REGISTERED AND DISCIPLINED.
REGULATIONS WOULD ALSO BE MADE TO SET DOWN MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE WIRING OF FIXED INSTALLATIONS IN BUILDINGS.
MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLIANCES, LIGHTING FITTINGS AND ACCESSORIES WOULD ALSO BE SPECIFIED IN DUE COURSE.
+IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY ITS PUBLICITY PROGRAMME TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE SAFE USE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AT HOME AND WORK.+
MR TODD SAID AGENTS OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES WERE NOT REQUIRED UNDER THE EXISTING LEGISLATION TO EMPLOY QUALIFIED ELECTRICIANS TO TAKE CHARGE OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION WORK.
+THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE ELECTRICIANS EMPLOYED ARE INCOMPETENT, HE SAID.
+ IT IS RATHER A REFLECTION OF THE FACT THAT UNDER THE EXISTING LAW THERE IS NO DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED ELECTRICIANS OR ELECTRICAL WORKERS.+
ASKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS DURING THE PAST YEAR AS A RESULT OF UNSAFE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND INSTALLATIONS, MR TODD SAID 46 SUCH ACCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, OF WHICH 19 WERE FATAL.
THE MAJORITY OF THESE ACCIDENTS OCCURRED ON CONSTRUCTION SITES, HE SAID.
THERE WERE EIGHT CASES, INCLUDING FIVE FATAL ONES, DOMESTIC PREMISES.
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OF THE EIGHT CASES. THREE WERE DIRECTLY CAUSED BY FAULTS IN THE APPLIANCES AND ACCESSORIES USED. WHILE THE REMAINDER WERE CAUSED BY CARELESSNESS OR FAULTY CONNECTIONS.
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