Author Archives: hksar gov

     â€‹The Government’s drive for smart mobility has achieved encouraging progress as eight autonomous vehicles being tested across Hong Kong reach the autonomous driving level that matches developments on the Mainland and overseas. Among them, two autonomous light buses will start a trial run at Fairview Park in Yuen Long soon.
      
      Apart from speaking with the Automotive Platforms & Application Systems R&D Centre to learn more about the characteristics of these two light buses, news.gov.hk interviewed a representative from the Transport Department who highlighted the evolution of driverless vehicles in Hong Kong.
      
     The story is available at www.news.gov.hk/eng/feature today (August 18) in text and video format. read more

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (August 18) will be cancelled.      If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by t… 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 (August 18) 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

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

     On August 16, the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, met the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, Mr Tetsushi Sakamoto, and the Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong, Mr Kenichi Okada. The Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, and the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, also attended the meeting.
      
     Mr Cheuk highlighted Hong Kong’s advancing from stability to prosperity and expressed the wish to promote exchanges and cooperation with Japan on various fronts.
      
     Regarding Japan’s request for lifting the import ban on Japanese aquatic products, Mr Cheuk responded by expressing concerns over the ongoing discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean in Fukushima, pointing out that the spillover effect was unprecedented. There is currently no guarantee from the Japanese authorities that their purification and dilution system can operate continuously and effectively in the long term. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the society are highly concerned about safeguarding food safety and public health in Hong Kong, and must take a prudent approach and exercise strict control. Mr Cheuk stressed that the HKSAR Government would closely monitor the development of the discharges and keep the corresponding measures under review. read more