XN000022-1986-03-29 — Page 4

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1986

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SAFETY HINTS ON OPERATING SKIP HOIST

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CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS ARE URGED TO OBSERVE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS WHEN OPERATING SKIP HOISTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HOISTS COULD BE PREVENTED IF EFFECTIVE SAFETY MEASURES WERE ARRANGED AND ADEQUATELY MAINTAINED.

HE WAS COMMENTING ON TWO RECENT ACCIDENTS IN WHICH TWO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE KILLED DUE TO MISUNDERSTOOD SIGNALS INVOLVING THE OPERATION OF SKIP HOISTS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE HOIST WAS BASICALLY SAFE, CERTAIN FACTORS COULD RENDER THE EQUIPMENT LETHAL.

+ THE MOST COMMON ONES ARE UNRELIABLE SIGNALLING SYSTEM AND HUMAN ERROR, HE SAID.

+MOST SKIP HOISTS ARE OPERATED BY WINCHES WHICH ARE LOCATED AT GROUND LEVEL OF THE STRUCTURE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

+ THE WINCH OPERATORS MAY NOT HAVE DIRECT EYE CONTACT WITH THE HOIST THROUGHOUT ITS TRAVEL AND HAVE TO RELY ON A SIGNALLING SYSTEM SO THAT HE IS ABLE TO STOP THE SKIP OF THE HOIST AT THE DESIRED LEVEL,+ HE ADDED.

FAILURE TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE AND RELIABLE SIGNALLING SYSTEM WOULD NOT ONLY ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF THOSE WORKING ON THE HOIST PLATFORM BUT WAS ALSO AN OFFENCE IN LAW, HE POINTED OUT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS, CONTRACTORS WERE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE SIGNALLING ARRANGEMENTS AND THOSE WHO FAILED TO OBSERVE THE REQUIREMENT WERE LIABLE, ON CONVICTION, A MAXIMUM FINE OF $30 000.

CONTRACTORS AND HOIST OPERATORS WITH QUERIES ABOUT THE SIGNALLING ARRANGEMENT MAY CONTACT THE BRANCH OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FACTORY INSPECTORATE FOR ADVICE.

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