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Following is a question by the Hon Christopher Chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (November 6):
Question:
It has been reported that earlier on, a tenant in Lok Wah North Estate, Ngau Tau Kok, fell to death when using the pole-socket type clothes-drying racks (commonly known as the "three joss sticks" clothes-drying racks) to dry clothes, arousing anew queries about the safety of such facilities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) given that the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has implemented a scheme since June 1, 2004 to provide subsidy for households living in public housing estates to replace their pole-socket type clothes-drying racks, of the respective numbers of applications received and approved under the scheme as at October this year; and the current amount of subsidy provided for each household under the scheme;
(b) given that the then Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Secretary) mentioned in his reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on April 28, 2004 that a total of 518 560 flats in 146 public housing estates were provided with pole-socket type clothes-drying racks in that year, of the latest figures in this regard;
(c) given that while the Secretary indicated in his reply to the aforesaid question that the design "of the pole-socket type clothes-drying racks" was generally safe with proper use, incidents involving tenants falling from heights when using such facilities still occurred subsequently, whether HA will reassess the safety of such facilities; and
(d) given that fatality was resulted in each of the accidents involving pole-socket type clothes-drying racks, whether HA has plans to replace free of charge the pole-socket type clothes-drying racks with clothes-drying racks which better conform with safety standards for households living in public housing estates, and make it mandatory for households to accept the arrangement; if not, what new measures HA has, apart from stepping up publicity and posting notices, to prevent recurrence of incidents of tenants falling from heights when using such facilities?
Reply:
President,
Over the years, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) keeps improving the construction and safety standards, introduces new facilities and improves layouts to enhance the quality and safety of public rental housing (PRH) units so as to cater for the changing needs of residents. As far as resources and the fabric of existing buildings permit, the HA will continue taking steps to upgrade existing PRH units to improve the living environment of PRH residents.
My reply to the four-part question asked by the Hon Christopher Chung is as follows:
(a) The HA launched a subsidy scheme in 2004/05 to grant a one-off subsidy to existing PRH tenants who wish to replace the pole holder facility with laundry racks. Under the subsidy scheme, each household was only required to pay $200 for the installation of laundry racks. At that time, about 10% of the households with pole holder facilities applied for the scheme and have completed the replacement works. The subsidy scheme came to an end in 2005. Apart from this scheme, for PRH households consisting solely of elderly people, the HA provides free installation of laundry racks to replace pole holder facilities.
In addition, estates which are 40 years old are covered by the Comprehensive Structural Investigation Programme (CSIP). Those that completed the CSIP and are selected for inclusion in the Estate Improvement Programme (EIP), the HA will consider replacing all the pole holder facilities with laundry racks free of charge. Under the EIP, estates with laundry racks replacement works completed or still in progress include Ping Shek Estate, Choi Hung Estate and Wo Lok Estate.
(b) Currently, there are still 128 PRH estates with some 430 000 PRH flats (excluding Tenants Purchase Scheme Estates) using pole holder facilities for clothes drying.
(c) and (d) As far as resources permit, the HA has been adopting proactive and pragmatic measures to enhance the living standard of residents. It will continue to arrange for the replacement of the pole holder facilities under the EIP.
At the same time, tenants may, taking into account their own circumstances, approach Estate Offices of the Housing Department at any time to apply for the installation of laundry racks with cord pulleys to replace pole holder facilities at their own cost.
Furthermore, we will step up publicity on the proper use of laundry facilities in PRH estates so as to strengthen tenants' awareness of the safe use of these facilities.
Ends/Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:21
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