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Safety law on cantilever scaffold
In response to press enquiries, a Labour Department spokesman said today (Friday) that safety in the use of cantilever scaffold involved in yesterday's fatal industrial accident in Kwai Chung was governed by the following industrial safety legislation provisions:
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(b)
(c)
(d)
Regulation 38F of the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations - that the cantilever scaffold should be adequately supported, fixed or anchored;
Regulation 38G of the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations - that the structure used as support of the scaffold shall be of sound material, sufficient strength;
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Regulation 38K of the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations the scaffold shall be inspected by a competent person at monthly intervals who should certify that it is in safe working condition in an approved form (Form 6); and
Section 6A (General Duties Provisions) of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (FIUO) - that a contractor is required to provide a safe system of work.
The maximum fine is $200,000 for a breach against each of these four provisions and an additional penalty of imprisonment of 12 months in respect of Section 6A of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance.
The Labour Department has obtained endorsement from the Labour Advisory Board and its Committee on Industrial Safety and Health to proposals to tighten control on working at height, working platforms and use of safety belts and safety nets.
Action is in hand to prepare the draft drafting instructions for the proposed amendment regulations.
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