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The Labour Department today (October 14) issued a notice in the Gazette on the issue of the Revised Code of Practice for Safe Use of Tower Cranes (Revised COP).
The Revised COP provides practical guidance to the industry as to how to use tower cranes safely and properly with a view to assisting duty holders in preventing accidents as well as complying with the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Lifting Appliances and Lifting Gear) Regulations. The revision mainly involves incorporation of the good practices recommended in the second version of the Guidelines on Safety of Tower Cranes published by the Construction Industry Council into the COP, with a view to further enhancing the safety of tower crane operation.
"The COP has been revised following extensive consultation with major stakeholders of the industry," the department spokesman added.
The major amendments of the COP include:
(a) technical specifications have been updated with reference to the latest international standards and other relevant codes of practice and guidelines;
(b) more guidance has been given on risk assessment for the planning of lifting operations in accordance with the latest British Standards;
(c) all major good practices set out in the Guidelines have been adopted for tower crane erection, dismantling and height alteration operations;
(d) classification of types of tower cranes has been refined according to the latest international standards;
(e) specification of electrical supply and equipment has been updated; and
(f) requirements for installation of anti-collision devices for tower crane operations have been updated to cater for the situation of adjacent sites.
The revised COP can be obtained free of charge from the Labour Department's Occupational Safety and Health Branch offices and downloaded from the department's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8b.htm). Enquiries about the Revised COP can be made on 2559 2297.
Ends/Friday, October 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 10:58
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