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The Labour Department (LD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC), in collaboration with other government departments and construction industry stakeholders, held the Electrical Work Safety Seminar today (May 6) to raise awareness of the risks of electrical work and to share views and insights on how to enhance safety measures.
A new sponsorship scheme was also launched for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to acquire a proper portable residual current device (PRCD).
Addressing the event's opening ceremony, the Commissioner for Labour, Mr Donald Tong, said the construction industry, including the renovation and maintenance industry, has to use electricity in its work, such as with portable electrical equipment. Improper use of electricity may lead to accidents like electric shock, fire or explosion which may lead to serious or permanent disability to workers and even fatalities. Last year, there were eight industrial accidents in the construction industry involving electric shock, including three fatal cases.
Mr Tong stressed that the LD is very concerned about the safety of workers at work. As a deterrent to electrical work accidents, the LD has carried out joint enforcement operations with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) in the past two years. The LD issued a total of 33 Improvement Notices and initiated 30 prosecutions during joint operations last year.
"The LD launches special enforcement operations from time to time to deter work practices contravening work safety requirements. We will take immediate enforcement action without prior warning upon discovery of breaches of safety legislation," Mr Tong said.
Mr Tong noted that to further ensure the safety of workers in using electrical equipment, the LD and the OSHC launched a new PRCD Sponsorship Scheme for SMEs today to subsidise SMEs to purchase proper PRCDs that meet the safety standard. Each successful applicant will receive a maximum subsidy amount of $450.
A residual current device is an electrical safety installation usually installed on a fixed electrical installation. The PRCD being launched is a portable device which will disconnect the power supply automatically when there is power leakage from the electrical equipment connected to it, thereby protecting workers from electric shock.
"There are more serious accidents involving electrical work in summer than in other seasons. Taking last year as an example, the three fatal industrial accidents involving electric shocks all took place in May to July. I would like to urge all parties involved in electrical work to pay serious attention to electrical work safety and stay alert," he said.
On publicity and promotion, Mr Tong said that the LD would issue a related Work Safety Alert as soon as possible after each serious accident to remind the industry to take necessary safety measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. The LD will continue its promotional efforts by broadcasting TV and radio Announcements in the Public Interest, organising talks and seminars on electrical work safety, and disseminating safety messages through trade associations and unions to raise the awareness of electrical work safety in the industry.
About 400 stakeholders of the construction industry and practitioners of other related industries joined the Electrical Work Safety Seminar. The Chairman of the OSHC, Mr Conrad Wong, also officiated at the ceremony.
Today's event was divided into two parts, including the Electrical Work Safety Seminar which was conducted with speakers from the LD, the EMSD, the OSHC, the Hong Kong Federation of Electrical and Mechanical Contractors Limited and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Electrical Engineering and Appliances Trade Workers Union.
The event also comprised the Electrical Work Safety Equipment Exhibition, which showcased PRCDs accredited under the sponsorship scheme and other electrical work safety equipment, and allowed participants to better understand their functions and practicality. A counter was also set up at the venue to help eligible companies to apply for various sponsorship schemes.
The PRCD sponsorship scheme has been welcomed and supported by the construction industry. The President of the Hong Kong Construction Sub-Contractors Association, Mr Lawrence Ng, and the President of the Hong Kong Federation of Electrical and Mechanical Contractors Limited, Mr Paul Chong, both encouraged eligible counterparts in the industry to apply for the scheme to enhance the safety standard of electrical work. The Chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, Mr Chow Luen-kiu, and the Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Electrical & Mechanical Industries Trade Unions, Mr Lai Chi-wah, considered that workers' safety could be further safeguarded by using PRCDs when operating electrical equipment. Furthermore, the President of the Hong Kong Federation of Occupational Safety and Health, Mr Victor Kwong, also expressed support for the sponsorship scheme. He appealed for the active participation of the industry and its joint efforts in enhancing electrical work safety in the construction industry.
Ends/Friday, May 6, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:07
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