Revised Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety issued
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A spokesperson for the LD said, "The CoP provides construction contractors with practical guidance on how to comply with the requirements set out in the occupational safety and health legislation regarding safety at work involving the erection, alteration, dismantling and use of bamboo scaffolds so as to significantly reduce the risk of falling from scaffolds while workers are working on them."
The spokesperson continued, "A notice has been published in the Gazette today on the issuing of the revised CoP, the major revision of which concerned the erection of working platforms on bamboo scaffolds. The Construction Industry Council (CIC) also issued the Guidelines on Planking Arrangement for Providing Working Platforms on Bamboo Scaffolds (Version 2) today, which updated the requirements for providing working platforms on bamboo scaffolds so as to further strengthen and improve work safety on bamboo scaffolds."
There are voids between the inner row and outer row scaffolds of a double-row bamboo scaffold. Without sufficient preventive measures in place, workers risk falling through the voids between the inner row and outer row scaffolds in cases of losing their foothold, which may result in serious accidents. In view of this, the LD and the CIC have made relevant amendments to the CoP and the Guidelines respectively, stipulating that the erection of bamboo scaffolds should conform to either one of the following: (1) laying working platforms on every lift of a bamboo scaffold, or (2) erecting a suitable working platform at every working location on a lift where the entire scaffold is designed as closely spaced bamboo scaffolding.
The spokesperson added, "This CoP has a special legal status. In criminal proceedings, if a relevant person fails to observe any provision of this Code, that failure may be taken by a court as a relevant factor in determining whether or not a person has breached the relevant safety and health legislation."
The revised CoP can be downloaded from the LD's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8b.htm). Enquiries about the CoP can be made at 2559 2297.
Ends/Friday, September 1, 2017
Issued at HKT 12:00
Issued at HKT 12:00
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