Labour Department responds to media enquiries concerning guidelines on proper use of safety belts

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Concerning the fatal industrial accident that happened on March 29 at a construction site of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, press reports have said that the Labour Department (LD)'s guidelines only require workers to attach their safety belts onto working platforms while undertaking works at height on construction sites over or near water, and that such a requirement not only failed to render proper protection to workers but also put their safety at risk. The reports also quoted requests for LD to promptly amend the relevant guidelines. A spokesman for the LD today (March 31) responded as follows:

The relevant legislation on occupational safety and health clearly stipulates that a safety belt should be attached continuously to a suitable and secure anchorage. The Guidance Notes on Classification and Use of Safety Belts and their Anchorage Systems (GN) issued by the LD describes various types of anchorages complying with the legal requirements, including an independent lifeline attached to an anchorage point. A temporary working platform is not accepted as an anchorage under the GN. The relevant legislation and the GN apply to all construction works, including construction works over or near water. The works undertaken at the place of the said accident are construction works over water under the LD's regulation.

Ends/Friday, March 31, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:30

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