2.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1992
GOVT MONITORS EFFECTIVENESS OF LAWS ON DANGEROUS GASES
THE
GOVERNMENT MONITORS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING LAWS GOVERNING THE STORAGE AND CONVEYANCE OF DANGEROUS GASES MAINLY THROUGH REGULAR VISITS TO THE ESTABLISHMENTS AT WHICH DANGEROUS GASES ARE STORED TO VERIFY COMPLIANCE WITH THE RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS OR LICENSING CONDITIONS.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ZACHARY WONG WAI-YIN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MRS CHAN SAID THE FREQUENCY OF INSPECTION VARIED ACCORDING TO THE SIZE AND AGE OF THE INSTALLATION AND THE RISK THAT IT WAS CONSIDERED TO PRESENT.
IF
THE
IN THE CASE OF INSTALLATIONS COVERED BY THE DANGEROUS GOODS ORDINANCE, SHE SAID A LICENCE WOULD NOT BE RENEWED ESTABLISHMENT CONCERNED DID NOT COMPLY WITH ALL OF THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
IN RESPECT OF INSTALLATIONS COVERED BY THE GAS SAFETY ORDINANCE, IMPROVEMENT NOTICES WOULD BE ISSUED, SHE SAID.
VEHICLES USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF DANGEROUS GASES WERE INSPECTED BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR THE GAS STANDARDS OFFICE, AS APPROPRIATE, TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE RELEVANT STANDARDS, MRS CHAN SAID.
SAFETY
INSPECTIONS OF INSTALLATIONS OR VEHICLES WERE CARRIED OUT IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS.
SHE SAID LEGAL ACTION WAS TAKEN WHERE APPROPRIATE IN CASES WHERE THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN BREACHED.
THE PARKING OF VEHICLES USED TO CARRY CYLINDERS OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS WAS CONTROLLED BY PERMIT CONDITIONS.
HOWEVER, MRS CHAN SAID THE RECENT EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT THE MONITORING AND CONTROL OF SUCH VEHICLES NEEDED TO BE IMPROVED.
SHE SAID CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INDUSTRY WERE UNDER WAY TO ESTABLISH HOW THESE IMPROVEMENTS COULD BEST BE ACHIEVED.
SHE SAID THE CRITERIA USED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF DANGEROUS GAS STORAGE FACILITIES ON THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF NEARBY RESIDENTS, IN HONG KONG, ANY INSTALLATION WHICH STORED DANGEROUS GASES IN QUANTITIES EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN A SPECIFIED LIMIT WAS CLASSIFIED AS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS INSTALLATION.
"THE POTENTIAL RISK IT PRESENTS IS ANALYSED TAKING INTO ACCOUNT FACTORS SUCH AS THE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF THE GAS AND ITS POTENTIAL EFFECTS," MRS CHAN SAID.
/SHE SAID