XN000022-1997-03-19 — Page 47

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Safety awareness in container handling industry

Following is a question by the Hon Lee Kai-ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

In an industrial accident that took place in a container depot at Fung Kat Heung, Yuen Long, on 4 March this year, a worker responsible for fixing hooks onto containers fell to death while he was working on the top of a pile of containers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

Mr President,

(a)

(b)

of the number of casualties in similar accidents over the past three years; and

whether any measures have been adopted to prevent the occurrence of similar accidents, if not, why not?

The Labour Department does not keep separate statistics on industrial accidents analysed by their causation. According to the Department's records, there was a total of 96 industrial accidents at container terminals and depots in 1994; 45 in 1995; and 104 in 1996 owing to a variety of causes. Over this period, one fatal case in 1994; six in 1995; and two in 1996 were recorded.

Workers in the container handling industry are protected under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and its subsidiary regulations. Regulation 10A of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Cargo and Container Handling) Regulations requires the safe stacking, unstacking and handling of containers while Regulation 10B requires safety measures to protect persons working on container tops from falling.