XN000022-1995-05-06 — Page 3

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Of the 39 families involved, six have moved out voluntarily, 22 have accepted the Government's rehousing offers and two are considering the Government's offers. The remaining nine families refuse to accept the Government's offers to rehouse them in urban Temporary Housing Area.

End/Saturday, May 6, 1995

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Building contractor fined $185,000

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Building contractors should ensure that their construction sites are safe, otherwise they will be liable to heavy fines or even imprisonment.

Manfield Building Contractors Limited at Harbour Road, Wan Chai, was recently fined $185,000 at Sha Tin Magistracy for committing four offences under the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations.

The contractor failed to fence the floor edge, lift shaft openings and a working platform on a construction site in Sha Tin. Moreover, one worker not wearing a safety helmet was allowed to remain on the site.

The Chief Factory Inspector of the Labour Department, Mr Chan Tat- king, said today (Saturday) that the irregularities were discovered by the department's special task force during a special campaign in September last year to inspect construction sites with poor safety records.

He reminded building contractors that they were required by law to provide a safe system of work, safety training and instructions and suitable personal protective equipment such as safety helmets for the workers.

"Most contractors know that they should provide safety helmets for workers on the sites. However, some fail to realise that it is also their responsibility to train workers on the proper use of such helmets and ensure that they wear the helmets on the sites. Site supervision is generally weak in this area," he said.