The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (January 19) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the Chairman of the Hong Kong Taoist Association, Dr Tong Wai-ki. "Dr Tong was held in high regard. Over t… read more
Following is an urgent question by the Hon Edward Leung under Rule 24(4) of the Rules of Procedure and a reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, in the Legislative Council today (January 19):
Question:
A female security guard working in the Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC) was suspected of having infected with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 in PBQC last week. A few days later, a security guard working in PBQC who had close contact with her was also confirmed to have been infected. With the epidemic situation worsening recently, a large number of members of the public have been sent to PBQC for isolation. However, with PBQC alleged for its mismanagement and unsatisfactory hygienic condition, coupled with the fact that the transmission chains of the Omicron variant have yet to be cut as of now, the public are concerned about PBQC’s failure to properly implement infection control measures, which may result in the spread of the virus or cross-infection at PBQC and even in the community. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council how it will immediately improve the infection prevention measures of PBQC and its management, so as to prevent its staff from being infected and spreading the virus to the community?
Reply:
President,
When tackling the COVID-19 epidemic, the Government has been adhering to the principle of “preventing the importation of cases and the spreading of the virus in the community”. In order to prevent the spreading of the virus in the community, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) has remained vigilant by strictly implementing contact tracing, testing and quarantine measures for confirmed cases involving the mutant strain detected in the community. Currently, the CHP arranges all close contacts of confirmed cases to undergo quarantine at quarantine centres.
As persons undergoing quarantine at quarantine centres are contacts with higher risk levels, the Government places an emphasis on the anti-epidemic efforts at quarantine centres so as to ensure the safety of colleagues who work there and prevent the virus from spreading to the community through quarantine centres.
Currently, all persons working at the quarantine centres must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). If these persons have to enter high-risk areas to perform duties, they must wear a full set of PPE (including surgical mask, face shield, cap, gown and gloves) and strictly follow infection control measures. Staff of quarantine centres, including security workers, are categorised as groups of very high risks. The DH requires all security workers to complete the course of vaccination by receiving two doses of vaccine and, in accordance with requirements of the Food and Health Bureau, be tested once every two days.
The Government is highly concerned about the COVID-19 diagnosis of the two contract security workers who work at the Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre. Upon knowledge of the incident, the Civil Aid Service (CAS), which is responsible for the management of the quarantine centre, immediately arranged for cleaning and disinfection of the areas where the security workers had worked. The CAS had also reminded relevant persons to seek medical attention immediately should they feel unwell. Moreover, after conducting epidemiological investigations, the CHP had identified about 18 security workers as close contacts and arranged for them to undergo quarantine at quarantine centres.
Due to the development of the epidemic, the number of contacts undergoing quarantine at the Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre had increased substantially in recent days, among which were isolated incidents of individuals who could not receive tests before the end of quarantine period, resulting in delays in leaving the quarantine centre. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the persons under quarantine, and have immediately carried out improvement measures, including enhancing manpower at the Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre, strengthening the communication mechanism with persons under quarantine and reviewing the operation of various departments in the quarantine centre, so as to avoid similar incidents from happening again.
I wish to take this opportunity to explain to Members the various enhancement measures, mainly involving four aspects, taken at the Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre:
Following is a question by the Hon Michael Tien and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, in the Legislative Council today (January 19): Question: The Drainage … read more
​Following is a question by the Hon Chan Siu-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, in the Legislative Council today (January 19):
Question:
On November 18 and December 22 last year, a fatal industrial accident involving works carried out in sewer manholes occurred in Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works and a construction site at Chek Lap Kok respectively, causing the death of three workers and injuries to a number of workers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) Of the progress of the investigations made into the two aforesaid industrial accidents; the improvement measures in place to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents;
(2) Whether the relevant government departments have conducted regular reviews of the code of practice on work safety in confined spaces and regular inspections of sites with confined spaces to ensure work safety; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) Whether it will step up training for those who need to work in confined spaces with a view to ensuring their full understanding and compliance with safety procedures as well as enhancing their safety awareness; if so, of the details; and
(4) Whether it has considered assisting the industry in adopting advanced technologies and equipment, such as the use of unmanned aircraft systems and 3D scanning detectors to gain an understanding of the condition inside confined spaces, and even deploying machines in place of workers to enter and work in confined spaces, so as to ensure industrial safety?
Reply:
President,
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about the two fatal industrial accidents that happened recently in manholes concerning sewer pipe maintenance. The two accidents caused the death of three workers and several workers were sent to the hospital. The LD is deeply saddened by the accidents and once again expresses our deepest sympathy to the bereaved families.
Having consulted the Development Bureau (DEVB), my consolidated reply to the Member’s question is as follows:
(1) Upon notification of the two accidents, the LD officers immediately commenced on-site investigation and will complete the investigation as soon as possible. According to the information currently available, the workers were preliminarily suspected to have inhaled hazardous gases at work. The LD is following up on the accidents seriously. Shortly after the accidents, the LD issued suspension notices to stop the works concerned. The duty holders need to submit safe method statements for the LD’s consideration and the work can only be resumed upon the LD’s permission. If there is adequate evidence, the LD will take out prosecution against those having violated the occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation.
Shortly after the accidents, the LD convened urgent meetings with the Drainage Services Department (DSD) and Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) to reiterate the safety requirements for confined space works. The LD also commenced special enforcement operations targeting drainage works under the DSD and the AAHK. In addition, the LD will step up surprise inspections to drainage works and enhance publicity on necessary safety measures to be taken when conducting such works to avoid recurrence of similar accidents.
The DSD has also set up an Independent Investigation Team to investigate the accident at Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works and made recommendations on improvement measures to enhance the safety of the relevant work. In response to the two fatal industrial accidents, the DEVB and the Construction Industry Council (CIC) have issued safety alerts to remind Works Departments and the construction industry respectively to pay close attention to the implementation of safety measures in confined space works to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.
(2) The code of practice and guidelines issued by the LD clearly set out the risk management measures to be taken for works in confined spaces. Such measures include carrying out a risk assessment, implementing effectively a safe system of work devised on the basis of the risk assessment results, use of approved breathing apparatus and safety harness, formulating emergency procedures, etc. The LD reviews the code of practice and guidelines from time to time, and makes revisions where necessary. In light of the two recent manhole accidents, the LD is arranging to meet with key stakeholders of confined space work to explore further refinement of the aforesaid code of practice and guidelines.
Moreover, the LD carries out surprise inspections to workplaces carrying out confined space work from time to time to ensure workers’ OSH is safeguarded. During inspections, the LD officers check the relevant work processes and equipment including whether a risk assessment has been carried out and corresponding risk control measures have been implemented, whether the workers have met the relevant training and working experience requirements, whether they are wearing approved breathing apparatus and suitable safety harness when conducting underground pipework, etc.
(3) The Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Confined Spaces) Regulation (the Regulation) stipulates that competent persons and certified workers who carry out work in confined spaces shall undergo and complete the training courses recognised by the LD. The course content covers requirements of relevant OSH legislation, common confined space hazards, emergency procedures, etc. Through different teaching methods e.g. accident case analysis and discussion, demonstration and practice on the use of safety equipment, etc., the trainees can better understand and grasp the course content. In addition, the Regulation stipulates that all competent persons and certified workers are required to take a revalidation course every three years, so that they will refresh and update their knowledge of working in confined spaces on a regular basis.
The LD reviews the content and teaching methods of the aforesaid courses from time to time. In 2019, the LD enhanced the courses by adding case analysis during which trainees can discuss serious accident cases, strengthening practical training such as the use of safety harness, lifeline, tripod, approved breathing apparatus and gas monitoring device, and requiring trainees to prepare risk assessment reports and permit-to-work certificates, etc. The enhancement can enhance workers’ knowledge of common risks in confined spaces and their abilities to eliminate such risks more effectively.
In addition, the LD, the CIC and the DEVB jointly hosted a thematic construction safety webinar towards the end of 2021 to reinvigorate the stakeholders of construction industry on the potential hazards related to confined spaces work in connection with manholes or underground pipework and to enhance their safety knowledge on the aforementioned confined spaces work. The webinar received overwhelming responses with nearly 4 000 participants from the construction industry.
(4) The guideline “Prevention of Gas Poisoning in Drainage Work” issued by the LD recommends that responsible persons of drainage works should, so far as reasonably practicable, use other practical work methods to avoid requiring workers to work inside the drainage. The LD noticed that the drainage work trade has started using remote control photography equipment years ago to take the place of workers for inspecting pipe conditions inside underground sewers in order to mitigate the risk of workers working at confined spaces such as drainage. We will continue to keep in view the development of new technologies and disseminate relevant information to the stakeholders, with a view to encouraging them to adopt suitable technologies to protect their workers and prevent incidents.
In addition, the Government has established the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF) in October 2018 to encourage a wider adoption of innovative construction methods and new technologies in the construction industry with a view to promoting productivity, improving construction quality, uplifting site safety and enhancing environmental performance. The Pre-approved List of the CITF includes relevant items relating to works in confined space, including ultra-wide band wireless positioning safety system, confined spaces drone, etc. They can help grasp or eliminate the risks of frontline workers working in confined spaces. read more
Following is a question by the Hon Dennis Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (January 19):
Question:
With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) involving the Omicron mutant strain spreading in the community, the risk of a fifth wave of epidemic outbreak in Hong Kong has been on the increase. Regarding the support for schools and students amid the epidemic, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of (i) the respective numbers of teachers and school staff as well as students who received one dose and two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with a breakdown by school type (i.e. kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and special school), and (ii) the respective numbers of schools which resumed half-day and whole-day face-to-face classes, as at the third of this month;
(2) whether it has assessed the risk posed by the spread of the Omicron mutant strain on the health of students at school; in view of the rapid transmission of the Omicron mutant strain, what measures have been put in place by the Education Bureau (EDB) to step up and support the anti-epidemic efforts of schools in order to lower the chances of teachers and school staff as well as students contracting the virus at school; and
(3) of the criteria based on which the decision of a general suspension of face-to-face classes is made and, under such circumstances, how the EDB will render schools and students appropriate assistance (especially the learning support to be provided for schoolchildren of grass-roots families and disadvantaged groups)?
Reply:
President,
The Education Bureau (EDB) has all along been closely monitoring the development of the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong, listening to the advice of health experts, maintaining communication with the school sector, introducing various anti-epidemic measures in schools to protect the health of students, as well as reviewing and implementing the schooling arrangements and related support measures in a timely manner. My reply to the three parts of the question is as follows:
(1) The EDB collected information concerning an overview of COVID-19 vaccination situation of teachers, school staff and students from around 2 000 schools (including kindergartens (KGs), primary schools and secondary schools) in Hong Kong in early January 2022. According to the information returned by them, as at January 5, 2022, around 95 per cent of teachers and school staff and 68 per cent of students aged 12 years or above had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The EDB has not compiled the vaccination rate by school types (i.e. KGs, primary, secondary and special schools). In addition, as at January 6, 2022, 183 secondary schools had applied for whole-day face-to-face classes for the whole school, and 213 secondary schools for whole-day face-to-face classes for individual class levels, totalling 396 schools.
(2) and (3) The EDB takes into account the latest development of the epidemic and health experts’ advice and considers various factors with a view to striking a balance between the learning needs and health and safety of students when setting out the face-to-face schooling arrangements of different class levels. Taking the recent epidemic situation of COVID-19 Omicron variant as an example, the mutated virus has a high infectivity and is posing a serious threat. There was an invisible chain of transmission within the community. In addition, there were confirmed cases of young children who were infected by family members. Teachers and peers having close contacts with the infected children had to be put under quarantine. There were also outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection in KGs and primary schools in recent months, with symptoms similar to those of COVID-19. KGs and primary school students are young and their self-care capability is relatively lower. In addition, most of them were not yet eligible for vaccination because of the age restriction. In view of the above, the EDB announced that all primary schools, KGs and kindergarten-cum-child care centres in Hong Kong should suspend face-to-face classes and all on-campus activities on or before January 14, 2022 until the schools’ Chinese New Year holidays.
The EDB has adopted multi-pronged strategies and worked closely with schools to build up protection barriers for schools with a view to enabling students to study with a peace of mind. We have all along been urging and assisting teachers, school staff, students and parents to receive COVID-19 vaccination proactively. In the 2021/22 school year, all KGs, primary and secondary schools, and private schools offering non-formal curriculum (commonly known as “tutorial schools”) have face-to-face classes on a half-day basis for the time being. To enhance protection, starting from September 1, 2021, the EDB requires that all teachers and school staff including those teaching and non-teaching staff directly employed by schools, persons who provide on-campus services, and persons who frequently visit school campuses (e.g. volunteers) must have at least received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or undergo regular COVID-19 tests and receive negative results. To facilitate vaccination of students, teachers and parents, the EDB has been working with other government departments to provide support services such as school outreach vaccination service and group booking to a Community Vaccination Centre, etc. To further enhance the anti-epidemic measures, the Government has recently announced the expansion of the “Vaccine Bubble” programme for implementation in more venues with effect from February 24, 2022, and is planning to arrange outreach vaccination services for students aged 5 to 11 years old. We will announce further details of the implementation of the above programmes in schools as early as possible.
The Government has issued to schools “Health Protection Measures for Schools” and the “Health Advice to Schools for the Prevention of COVID-19” prepared by the Centre for Health Protection. The guidelines are updated from time to time. We also issue letters to schools from time to time, informing them of the latest requirements and arrangements of anti-epidemic measures, as well as requiring schools to strictly comply with the above guidelines and put in place the health precautionary measures, including wearing masks all the time within school campuses, maintaining appropriate social distances, measuring temperatures of teachers and students at school entrances, so as to safeguard their health.
Regarding arrangements and support during the suspension of face-to-face classes, since the outbreak of the epidemic, schools have implemented a blended mode of teaching and learning as necessary so as to achieve the goal of “suspending classes without suspending learning”. The EDB has provided support measures, including e-learning resources and webinars, to assist schools and teachers in adopting e-learning modes to support students’ home learning. In this school year, the Quality Education Fund has set aside $500 million to support the necessary e-learning ancillary facilities, for example, development of platforms for sharing learning and teaching resources and encouraging teachers to share quality teaching materials. We require schools and boarding sections (applicable to special schools) that they should remain open to look after students who lack carers to take care of them at home during the period of face-to-face class suspension.
Regarding supporting grass-roots students, the Government subsidised about 176 000 needy primary and secondary students to purchase mobile computer devices from the 2018/19 to 2020/21 school years by implementing an assistance programme through the Community Care Fund, and also provided public sector schools with extra funding to purchase portable WiFi routers and mobile data cards for needy students to have e-learning. Besides, in 2021, the Quality Education Fund reserved $1.5 billion to implement a three-year programme for lending mobile computer devices and Internet access facilities to needy students through their schools. It is anticipated that about 310 000 students could be benefitted. The Government has been disbursing subsidies under the Subsidy Scheme for Internet Access Charges via the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency and the Social Welfare Department to eligible families in order to provide support to needy students on e-learning. Besides, many social welfare organisations and schools also donate or provide mobile computers on loan to needy grass-roots students.
On emotional and psychological support, professionals of different disciplines in a school (including guidance personnel, school social workers and school-based educational psychologists) have all along been providing students with appropriate support, such as keeping in contact with and showing care to students through telephone and other means of electronic communication as well as understanding whether students need further assistance through close observation of students’ performance and enhanced communication with parents. If students are found to display emotional disturbance, teachers will refer them to professionals with a view to supporting them to cope with difficulties encountered in academic, social and/or emotional development domains. The EDB has specially launched on-line resources to help parents and teachers guide students with special educational needs (SEN) to pick up more skills in learning at home and in social adaptation. Furthermore, the EDB has been maintaining communication with the SEN Coordinators of schools and reminding schools to understand the learning performance and emotion of students with SEN and to communicate with parents on a regular basis so as to review and adjust the support strategies and details at different stages.
As regards KGs, since it is not desirable for young children to use electronic screen for a long period of time, e-learning in the form of real-time online teaching is not suitable for KG students in principle. KGs will adopt alternative modes to help KG students learn at home, such as encouraging children to read at home, devising learning activities in line with children’s abilities and interests, and providing guidance and learning materials to parents according to their needs. The EDB issued a letter to all KGs in May 2020 to share the principles and strategies for supporting KG students’ learning at home. Additional subsidies were also provided to KGs joining the KG education scheme in early 2021 to facilitate schools in implementing programmes to support learning at home.
The EDB will closely monitor the epidemic situation, take into account the advice from the health experts, and timely review the related measures. We will maintain close liaison with the school sector to understand their needs so as to provide appropriate support. read more