XN000022-1988-06-26 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 1988

SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO IMPROVE SITE SAFETY MEASURES

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS SET UP A SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO IMPROVE SAFETY MEASURES ON CONSTRUCTION SITES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY DURING THE RAINY SEASON, THE DEPARTMENT'S CHIEF FACTORY INSPECTOR, MR YIP YUK-LUN, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

INSPECTORS, WOULD CALL ON

HE SAID TEAMS, MADE UP OF FACTORY ALL CONSTRUCTION SITES BETWEEN JULY AND SEPTEMBER TO CONTRACTORS TO RAISE SAFETY STANDARDS AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FROM HIGH RISK PROCESSES SUCH AS WORKING AT A HEIGHT.

ASSIST ARISING

"OUR AIM IS TO ASSIST CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS TO IDENTIFY BLACKSPOTS SO AS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, MR YIP SAID.

TO

HE NOTED THAT SINCE JANUARY THIS

YEAR, 26 WORKERS HAD BEEN KILLED AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, AND NINE OF THE FATALITIES HAD IN JUNE ALONE.

OCCURRED

INVESTIGATIONS SHOW THAT OUT OF THE 26 FATALITIES, 18 INVOLVED WORKERS FALLING. FOUR WORKERS WERE KILLED BY FALLING OBJECTS, TWO BY MACHINERY, ONE WAS ELECTROCUTED AND ONE WAS KILLED IN AN EARTH SLIP.

H

THESE ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS CONSTRUCTION SITES,' MR YIP SAID.

REPORTED AT

41

DURING

'BUILDING CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS SHOULD THEREFORE ADOPT EXTRA PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, IN PARTICULAR

THE RAINY

AS SEASON, PAST EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT ADVERSE WEATHER COULD AGGRAVATE WORKING CONDITIONS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES.

HE SUGGESTED THE FOLLOWING

IMMEDIATELY:

+

PRECAUTIONARY

MEASURES BE *TAKEN

SCAFFOLDS MUST BE INSPECTED BY A COMPETENT PERSON SINCE EXPOSURE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY AFFECT THEIR STRENGTH STABILITY,

OR

PARTICULAR CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHILE USING WET SLIPPERY WORKING PLATFORMS, GANGWAYS, LADDERS AND SCAFFOLDS.

AND

EMERGENCY ESCAPE SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR PERSONS WORKING INSIDE EXCAVATIONS, SHAFTS, TUNNELS, PITS OR OPENINGS IN THE GROUND IN CASE OF RISING WATER OR IRRUPTION OF WATER OR MATERIAL.

EXCAVATION,

INSPROTID RY CARRIED ON.

BE

FARTHWORK AND TIMBERING ERECTED SHOULD

COMPETENT PERSON BEFORE FURTHER WORK IS

A

1.

ALL ELECTRIC