Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals: Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding that comes to … read more
As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.
A spokesman for the LD said today (July 31) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'” and the “Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather” issued by the LD.
Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:
(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;
(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;
(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;
(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and
(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.
In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.
The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).
Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297. read more
Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (July 31) will be cancelled. If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and… read more
The Boys’ Brigade, Hong Kong has been issued a Public Subscription Permit to hold a territory-wide flag sale from 7am to 12.30pm today (July 31), a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD’s website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD’s hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.
In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added. read more
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the Hong Kong, China Night in Paris, France today (July 30, Paris time):
Ladies and gentlemen,
Bonsoir! It is my great pleasure to welcome all of you to this special evening, as we gather to celebrate Hong Kong’s vibrant sports community during the Olympic Games. Your presence today truly reflects the spirit of unity and the shared passion for sports, which bring us all together.
Tonight, we come together to show our unwavering support for our athletes who have displayed remarkable dedication and skills in various competitions. We are proud to celebrate the winning of three medals so far at the Paris Olympics and we are delighted to witness the success of our athletes here. Our government is committed to supporting elite sports. In this financial year, the Government allocated more than €100 million euros (HK$863 million) for nurturing sports talents to the Hong Kong Sports Institute, which is our elite sports training agent.
In addition, we are stepping up our efforts to promote the growth of sports through enhancing sports’ professionalism, maintaining Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, developing sports as an industry, and promoting sports in the community, thus creating a supportive environment that fosters a stronger sporting culture in the city.
I would also like to share with you another exciting development in Hong Kong. Our new Kai Tai Sports Park, Hong Kong’s most important investment in sports infrastructure in recent decades, will be completed later this year. As shown in the video just now, this world-class facility is ideal for hosting large-scale sports events and competitions. In particular, the Main Stadium will be able to hold 50 000 spectators and has a retractable roof and flexible pitch surface.
The Sports Park will also provide a 10 000-seat Indoor Sports Centre and a 5 000-seat Public Sports Ground. I would like to extend my invitation to all of you to visit Hong Kong and experience our new sporting landscape. We are confident that the Kai Tak Sport Park will not only host exceptional sports events, but also to serve as a hub for nurturing a greater passion for sports across the globe.
Last but not least, we would like to extend our best wishes to all the athletes participating in the Olympics. Your hard work and dedication have inspired us all. Tonight, let’s celebrate the spirit of sports and friendship together, and may I wish you all an amazing Olympic journey in Paris.
Thank you very much.
