13
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1993
HE SAID THE COMMERCIAL CRIMES UNIT IN THE PROSECUTIONS DIVISION WAS ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO A NEED TO HAVE EXPERIENCED AND COMPETENT LAWYERS DEDICATED TO PROSECUTE COMPLEX COMMERCIAL CASES.
"THE UNIT IS STAFFED BY LAWYERS WITH THE NECESSARY EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCE, AND I AM SATISFIED THAT IT IS WELL EQUIPPED ΤΟ DEAL WITH MAJOR CASES THAT COME WITHIN ITS AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
"THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS AND I ARE FULLY ALIVE то THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT CASES ARE DEALT WITH EXPEDITIOUSLY, TO AVOID THE RISK OF A PROSECUTION BEING HALTED BY REASON OF DELAY," HE EMPHASISED.
SAFETY OF SCAFFOLDING REGULATED
THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID ACCIDENTS INVOLVING COLLAPSE OF SCAFFOLDING ON CONSTRUCTION SITES AND CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES SELDOM OCCURRED.
FROM 1990 TO THE END OF JUNE THIS YEAR, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT RECORDED TWO FATALITIES CAUSED BY THE COLLAPSE OF BAMBOO SCAFFOLDS.
STATISTICS ON INJURIES ARE SUBSUMED UNDER DIFFERENT HEADINGS IN THE DEPARTMENT'S RECORDS SUCH AS "FALL OF PERSONS" AND "FALL OF OBJECTS".
"NO STATISTICS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO COLLAPSE OF SCAFFOLDS ARE AVAILABLE TO INDICATE THE NUMBER OF SUCH ACCIDENTS OR TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ARE ON THE INCREASE, MR LEUNG SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE SAFETY OF SCAFFOLDS IS REGULATED UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL
UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE.
IT REQUIRES ALL SCAFFOLDS TO BE FIXED, SECURED AND REGULARLY INSPECTED TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.
APART FROM REGULAR INSPECTIONS, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ALSO CARRIED OUT A SPECIAL INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN ON SCAFFOLDS DURING APRIL TO JUNE THIS YEAR.
A SIMILAR OPERATION WILL BE MOUNTED LATER.
ON THE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY FRONT, MR LEUNG SAID A CODE OF PRACTICE ON BAMBOO SCAFFOLD WOULD BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY TO HELP THE INDUSTRY COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.
MOREOVER, SEMINARS AND TRAINING COURSES TO ENABLE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE ACTS OR CONDITIONS WORKING WITH SCAFFOLDINGS HAVE BEEN ORGANISED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL.
/A PRESS