XN000022-1986-01-22 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1986

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CONTROL OF ASBESTOS IN THE PIPELINE

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A SET OF REGULATIONS HAS BEEN DRAFTED TO CONTROL THE USE

OF ASBESTOS AND ANY SUBSTANCE CONTAINING ASBESTOS IN INDUSTRIAL UNDER TAX INGS, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION SITES, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, MR HENDERSON SAID THE REGULATIONS, TO BE INTRODUCED UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE, WOULD BAN THE USE OF BLUE ASBESTOS (CROCIDOLITE), BROWN ASBESTOS (AMOSITE) AND ANY SUBSTANCE CONTAINING EITHER OF THESE MINERALS.

+USE OF LESS DANGEROUS ASBESTOS MATERIALS WOULD BE CLOSELY CONTROLLED AND THE PROCESS OF SPRAYING WITH A SUBSTANCE CONTAINING ANY FORM OF ASBESTOS WOULD BE PROHIBITED, HE SAID.

MR HENDERSON ADDED THE REGULATIONS WERE MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR YESTERDAY AND WOULD BE PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY.

ESCALATORS REGULARLY INSPECTED TO ENSURE SAFETY

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ESCALATORS ARE SUBJECT TO REGULAR INSPECTION TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE IN SAFE WORKING ORDER, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON JOHN TODD, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHUNG PUI-LAM ON ACCIDENTS INVOLVING ESCALATORS, MR TODD SAID ALL ESCALATOR OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE GAP BETWEEN ESCALATOR BALUSTRADES AND ADJOINING PARAPET WALLS SHOULD NOT BE WIDER THAN 100 MILLIMETRES.

HE SAID THE CONSTRUCTION OF ESCALATORS WAS GOVERNED BY THE BUILDING (ESCALATORS) REGULATIONS OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE WHILE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR WERE GOVERNED BY THE LIFTS AND ESCALATORS (SAFETY) ORDINANCE.

+CERTIFICATES FOR THE OPERATION OF AN ESCALATOR WILL ONLY BE ISSUED IF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS GOVERNING THE SAFE USE OF ESCALATORS ARE COMPLIED WITH, HE SAID.

MR TODD SAID THERE WAS NO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO REPORT ESCALATOR ACCIDENTS AND HE COULD GIVE DETAILS ONLY OF THE EIGHT CASES INVESTIGATED IN THE LAST YEAR BY THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND OF THOSE INCLUDED IN REGULAR REPORTS MADE BY THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION.

/HE SAID