XN000022-1977-01-12 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1977

BUILDING CONTRACTORS URGED TO USE SAFE EQUIPMENT

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BUILDING CONTRACTORS ARE URGED TO HAVE THE IR EQUIPMENT CAREFULLY EXAMINED AND CERTIFIED BY COMPETENT EXAMINERS BEFORE THEY PUT THEM INTO USE AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

THE SPOKESMAN MADE THE STATEMENT FOLLOWING A RECENT COURT CASE IN WHICH ONE CONTRACTOR WAS FINED A TOTAL OF $12,000 FOR THREE OFFENCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF A HOIST WHICH HAD NOT BEEN CERTIFIED TO BE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE

IN CENTRAL.

AS A RESULT OF THIS CARELESSNESS, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED CAUSING THE DEATH OF A WORKER.

ON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRE ROPE IN QUESTION MAS FRAILED AT A CERTAIN POINT AND DESPITE THIS, THE WIRE ROPE WAS PUT TO USE BEFORE AN EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE EQUIPMENT WAS RECEIVED.

IN THE ACCIDENT, THE WIRE ROPE SNAPPED SUDDENLY STRIKING THE WORKER, AGED 50, ON THE HEAD AND KNOCKING HIM UNCONSCIOUS. ON ARRIVAL AT HOSPITAL, HE WAS CERTIFIED DEAD.

ACCORDING TO THE SPOKESMAN, THE CONTRACTOR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FINED $7,000 IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF THE FRAILED WIRE ROPE FOR OPERATING A HOIST, $2,500 FOR USING A HOIST WITHOUT PRIOR TESTING BY A COMPETENT EXAMINER AND ANOTHER $2,500 FOR FAILING TO ENSURE THAT THE HOIST WAS NOT USED UNTIL A REPORT HAD BEEN OETAINED FROM A COMPETENT EXAMINER.

PAYMENTS TO PREFERENTIAL CREDITORS OF PAUL LEE CC.

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THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER HAS ANNOUNCED THAT PREFERENTIAL CREDITORS OF PAUL LEE ENGINEERING COMPANY WILL BE PAID IN FULL DURING THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF NEXT WEEK.

AMOUNTS TOTALLING $870,000 WILL BE PAID TO FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE COMPANY IN SATISFACTION OF UNPAID WAGES AND SEVERANCE PAY. $166,000 WILL BE PAID TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MAINLY IN REFUND OF MONEY PREVIOUSLY ADVANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO MEET SOME EMPLOYEES' WAGE CLAIMS.

IT WILL BE SOMETIME BEFORE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT ILL BE MADE IN RESPECT OF THE CLAIMS OF OTHER CREDITORS WHO RANK AS ORDINARY CREDITORS UNDER THE COMPANIES ORDINANCE.