â€‹The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about the fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Sha Tau Kok this morning (December 6), in which a male worker was struck to death by a lorry while working inside a tunnel under construction. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker in the accident and expresses its deepest sympathy to the victim's family.

     The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and would issue a suspension notice to the contractor concerned to suspend parking of lorries at any working location within the tunnel. The LD will only revoke the suspension notice until we are satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken."

     The spokesman added, "We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."

     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, safe plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. If family members of the deceased have financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

     The Ombudsman, Ms Connie Lau, today (December 6) welcomed the release of consultation papers by the Law Reform Commission (LRC) on archives law and access to information for public consultation.

     Ms Lau said, "A system to properly protect public archives and an effective access to information regime are very important in meeting public demand and expectation towards an open and accountable government. With the LRC's extensive and thorough public consultation, I expect substantive progress in the Government's enactment of an archives law and improvement in the access to information regime."

     In March 2014, the Office of The Ombudsman published two direct investigation reports on "Public Records Management in Hong Kong" and "The Access to Information Regime in Hong Kong", and made a number of recommendations to the Government including enactment of relevant legislation. The Ombudsman is pleased to note that the two consultation papers by the LRC have taken into account and responded to the Office's views in the direct investigation reports. The Office will carefully examine the issues raised and recommendations made by the LRC.

     A travel agent was convicted and fined $10,000 today (December 6) at Fanling Magistrates' Court for having offered to supply travel service with a false trade description applied, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging that a travel agent was suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices in the sale of travel services.

     After investigation, it was found that the claim by the travel agent in its leaflet that a one-day tour for sightseeing in the Mainland not departing from Hong Kong was covered by the Package Tour Accident Contingency Fund Scheme carried no truth.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied to a consumer commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     Police are investigating a murder case in Aberdeen this morning (December 6) in which a man died.

     At about 8am, Police received a report that a person was found drowning at the sea off Wah Fu (I) Estate.

     Police officers sped to the scene and found the man being wrapped in a nylon bag. The man sustained multiple stab wounds on his neck and shoulder. He was rescued and rushed to Queen Mary Hospital in unconscious state. He was certified dead at 8.49am.

     The deceased was believed to be a male aged between 50 and 70. He was about 1.52 meters tall and was of medium build. No identity document was found in his possession.

     Post-mortem examination will be conducted later to ascertain the cause of death of the deceased.

     Active investigation by the District Crime Squad of Western District is underway.

     Police today (December 6) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Aberdeen.

     Ho Tak-kuen, Jimmy, aged 59, went missing after he left a clinic on Tin Wan Street yesterday (December 5) afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.

     He is about 1.7 metres tall, 69 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion, short straight black hair and two moles on his nose. He was last seen wearing black-rimmed glasses, a dark blue sweater, dark blue sports trousers and sandals.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Hong Kong Island on 2860 1040 or 9886 0034, or email to rmpu-hki@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.