TNAG-1361-FCO40-1807-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 285

Sir,

Question No. 5

Reply by the Commissioner for Labour

to Question by the Hon. Carl TONG Ka-wing in the Legislative Council on 23 January 1985

Question: Would Government inform this Council which

department or departments are responsible for the operational safety of lifting cranes on construction sites and whether Government consider existing safeguards adequate?

The operational safety of lifting cranes on construction

sites is governed by Part II of the Construction Sites (Safety)

Regulations. These regulations provide for the strength, stability,

testing, maintenance and frequent inspection of all such cranes. They also stipulate safe operational methods and that only trained

and competent people can operate such cranes. Enforcement of these regulations is the responsibility of the Factory Inspectorate of the

Labour Department.

The regulations are drafted in some detail and I am

satisfied that they are adequate for their purpose.

However, as

my predecessor said in reply to a similar question in this Council in 1977, I must stress that legislation alone cannot prevent accidents.

What is also needed is good supervision and a recognition by top

management that they must make accident prevention a major part of

their policies.

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