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The Labour Department today (July 29) reminded competent examiners for lifting appliances and lifting gear to observe requirements stipulated in the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Lifting Appliances and Lifting Gear) Regulations.
The reminder was given by a department spokesman following the High Court's recent dismissal of an appeal launched by a registered professional engineer Sun Kam-sing against conviction for violating the regulations.
Sun was found guilty and fined $30,000 at Eastern Magistrates' Court on December 5, 2006, for delivering a false certificate to a tower crane owner. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
In a routine inspection on January 20, 2006, an occupational safety officer of the Labour Department found that a tower crane in operation at a construction site was not installed with an automatic safe load indicator. A Certificate of Test and Thorough Examination issued by the registered professional engineer had indicated that the automatic safe load indicator was in good working order.
According to Regulation 21(2) of the regulations, a registered professional engineer who delivers to a tower crane owner a false certificate is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for 12 months.
Ends/Sunday, July 29, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:00
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