WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1993
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GOVT'S VIGILANCE OVER SAFE OPERATION OF LIFTS CONTINUES
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT OVER THE SAFE OPERATION OF LIFTS.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR CANICE MAK, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS MIRIAM LAU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE SAID UNDER THE NEW PROVISIONS OF THE RECENTLY AMENDED LIFTS AND ESCALATORS (SAFETY) ORDINANCE, INSPECTION AND CHECKING OF LIFTS WAS REQUIRED TO BE CARRIED OUT BY COMPETENT PERSONS, AND THE SUB- CONTRACTING OR ASSIGNMENT OF LIFT WORKS TO NON-REGISTERED CONTRACTORS WAS ALSO REGULATED.
MR MAK SAID IN A RECENT SURVEY BY THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, 1,578 LIFTS, OR ABOUT 5.4 PER CENT, OF THE 35,700 PASSENGER LIFTS IN THE TERRITORY WERE FOUND NOT EQUIPPED WITH OVERLOADING WARNING DEVICES.
THESE LIFTS WERE INSTALLED BEFORE MAY 1969 WHEN THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROVISION OF OVERLOADING WARNING DEVICES WERE INCLUDED IN THE RELEVANT LEGISLATION.
"ALTHOUGH THESE LIFTS DO NOT HAVE AN OVERLOADING WARNING SYSTEM, THEY USUALLY HAVE OTHER SAFETY DEVICES SUCH AS FAIL-SAFE BRAKING SYSTEM, OVERSPEED GOVERNOR, ARRESTER GEAR AND BUFFERS.
"IT IS THEREFORE CONSIDERED MORE APPROPRIATE TO ALLOW THE PHASING OUT OF SUCH LIFTS BY NATURAL WASTAGE.
"THE ADMINISTRATION WILL OF COURSE CONTINUE TO ADVISE REGISTERED LIFT CONTRACTORS TO ENCOURAGE OWNERS OF PRE-1969 BUILDINGS TO INSTALL OVERLOADING WARNING DEVICES IN LIFTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE," MR MAK SAID.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THERE HAD BEEN FOUR FATAL AND 22 NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING PASSENGER LIFTS.
TWO
TWO OF THESE ACCIDENTS INVOLVED LIFTS WITHOUT OVERLOADING WARNING DEVICES AND TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED BUT NEITHER OF THESE CASES WAS CAUSED BY OVERLOADING.
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