XN000022-1992-10-14 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1992

LAW ON CAISSON WORK UNDER REVIEW

THE

FEASIBILITY OF BANNING HAND-DUG CAISSON OPERATIONS WILL NEED TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED IN VIEW OF ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE LIVELIHOOD OF EXISTING CAISSON WORKERS AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TIK CHI-YUEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN CAISSONS WERE THE SAFEST ENGINEERING SOLUTION, FOR EXAMPLE, ON NARROW OR STEEP SITES WHERE THE USE OF HEAVY PLANT WOULD BE DANGEROUS.

"THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS REVIEWING THE RELEVANT STATUTORY PROVISIONS WITH A VIEW TO FURTHER IMPROVING THE STANDARDS OF SAFETY FOR WORKERS WORKING IN CAISSONS AND OTHER CONFINED SPACES, HE SAID.

ון

GOVERNMENT

"THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO SEEKING VIEWS FROM RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ORGANISATIONS.'

MR CHAN SAID ACCIDENTS RELATING TO HAND-DUG CAISSON BETWEEN 1987 AND 1991 TOTALLED 1,491.

T

OPERATION

THESE HAD RESULTED IN SEVEN DEATHS, OF WHICH THREE WERE DIRECTLY RELATED TO CAISSON WORK.

STATISTICS ALSO SHOWED THAT PNEUMOCONIOSIS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE CONTRACTED BY CAISSON WORKERS.

IS A

COMMON

OF THE 252 PNEUMOCONIOTICS INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAD CONTRACTED SILICOSIS FOUND BETWEEN 1989 AND 1991, 90 HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN CAISSON WORK.

MR CHAN SAID CAISSON WORKERS WERE AT PRESENT PROTECTED FROM THE HAZARDS OF SILICA UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING ORDINANCE AND ITS REGULATIONS.

THE LAW PRESCRIBES THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS WHICH MUST BE TAKEN TO SAFEGUARD PERSONS ENTERING OR REMAINING IN CONFINED SPACES SUCH AS CAISSONS, INCLUDING WEARING BREATHING APPARATUS OF AN APPROVED TYPE AND WEARING A SAFETY BELT ATTACHED TO A LIFELINE SO THAT HE MAY BE PULLED TO SAFETY IN CASE OF EMERGENCY,

A CONTRACTOR HAS ALSO TO TAKE ALL REASONABLE STEPS AS ARE NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE INHALATION OF DUST BY THE WORKMAN, EITHER BY PROVIDING ADEQUATE VENTILATION OR BY THE PROVISION AND USE OF SUITABLE RESPIRATORS OR OTHER EFFECTIVE MEANS.

"A SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN IS BEING CARRIED FACTORIES INSPECTORS TO CHECK ON ALL CONSTRUCTION SITES WITH WORK TO ENSURE THAT SAFETY REQUIREMENTS ARE COMPLIED WITH,” ADDED.

OUT BY CAISSON MR CHAN

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