XN000022-1995-12-06 — Page 21

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Staff of Buildings Department and Labour Department carry out regular inspections of buildings and construction/demolition sites. During these inspections, the Buildings Department staff search for any possibility of danger which will be removed once identified. The Labour Department staff inspect sites to ensure that the law is complied with by contractors and workers. Prosecution will be taken if a work situation is likely to cause risk of injury or where there is a blatant disregard of the

law.

Enforcement of the laws is also accompanied by publicity and education efforts to promote the message of building safety and construction site safety. There is close liaison between the Buildings and Labour Departments and with the Occupational Safety and Health Council.

While there is always room for further improvement, the existing control over building and construction site safety is generally effective. Despite this, accidents may occur for a number of reasons such as human neglect and error.

(b) The answer is of course positive. The Government will review regularly the control system to plug any loophole and generally to make the system more effective. The Buildings (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill, which is now before the Bills Committee, is the result of such a review.

(c) I am not aware of any civil servant who has been reprimanded or disciplined in the past two years for being negligent in enforcing building and industrial safety legislation.

(d) The Buildings Department will disclose the identity of owners and contractors of buildings involved in collapses and the responsible authorised person or registered structural engineer upon request.

End