WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1989
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EXEMPLARY PENALTIES FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BREACHES NECESSARY
PRESCRIBE
THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO STRINGENT SAFETY STANDARDS AND MEASURES FOR OPERATING PILE-DRIVERS, BUT IT DOES CONSIDER IT NECESSARY ΤΟ PROVIDE FOR EXEMPLARY PENALTIES FOR SERIOUS BREACHES OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY REGULATIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON K.Y. YEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR YEUNG SAID THESE PENALTIES WOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN THE DEBATE ON THE SECOND READING OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1989 RESUMED NEXT WEEK.
MR TRUNG SAID THERE HAD BEEN THREE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING PILE-DRIVERS DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS. ONE OCCURRED IN 1987 AND TWO THIS YEAR.
"THESE ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY EXAMINED. IT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO CONCLUDE, WITHOUT GOING INTO THE DETAILS OF EACH CASE, THAT THEY OCCURRED BECAUSE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS HAD NOT
PROPERLY OR FULLY OBSERVED, AND NOT BECAUSE THEMSELVES INADEQUATE," HE SAID.
THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS ARE IN
MR YEUNG SAID THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE REQUIRED PILE-DRIVERS TO BE OF GOOD CONSTRUCTION, SOUND MATERIAL AND ADEQUATE STRENGTH, AND TO BE FREE FROM PATENT DEFECTS.
"
IN ADDITION THE REGULATIONS ALSO REQUIRE PILE-DRIVERS то BE FITTED WITH A VARIETY OF SAFETY DEVICES, SUCH AS EFFECTIVE BRAKING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT WOULD PREVENT LOADS SUSPENDED FROM THEM FROM FALLING OUT OF CONTROL, HE SAID.
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MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT PILE-DRIVERS HAD TO BE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND THOROUGHLY EXAMINED AND TESTED BY A COMPETENT EXAMINER AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 14 MONTHS.
STABLE.
"BEFORE IT CAN BE USED A PILE-DRIVER MUST BE SECURED AND
"THIS REQUIREMENT ALSO APPLIES BEFORE A PILE-DRIVER CAN BE MOVED AROUND ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE.
"WHEN IN USE IT MUST BE INSPECTED BY A COMPETENT PERSON AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
"THE PILE-DRIVER CAN ONLY BE OPERATED BY AGED 18 OR ABOVE.
A COMPETENT PERSON
/"THE WORKMAN