The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about the work accident that happened in a private estate in Sai Ying Pun this afternoon (December 20), in which a female worker fell from a planter to the ground while performing plant pruning work, who was certified dead upon arrival in hospital. 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. We issued suspension notices to the contractor concerned and the property management company of the estate to suspend all work on the planters. They cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks 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 Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a fine of $200,000 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. For those with 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.

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting tomorrow (December 21).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 20) urged the public not to consume a batch of prepackaged chilled smoked salmon imported from France due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen. The trade should stop using or selling the batch of the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Saumon Fume Ecosse T. Main Ficelle
Place of origin: France
Net weight: 1.8 kilograms per pack
Best-before date: December 31, 2019

     "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned batch of the product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and was being recalled. According to the information provided by the RASFF, a local importer, Classic Fine Foods (Hong Kong) Limited, had imported some of the affected batch of the product into Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned for follow-up. Preliminary investigation found that the importer had imported some of the affected batch of the product, and some of the product had been distributed. The importer has initiated a recall according to the CFS' instructions. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer's hotline at 2612 2066 during office hours.

     "Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns," the spokesman said.

     The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected batch of the product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

     The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (December 20) reminded the public to take note of the special traffic and transport arrangements to be implemented during the Christmas holidays to facilitate holiday celebrations. Members of the public are urged to make use of public transport services as far as possible.

     Road closures and traffic diversions will be in effect in phases from 2pm on Christmas Eve in Central and Causeway Bay. There will also be road closure arrangements in the vicinity of Victoria Park during the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo. Roads in the vicinity of the main shopping and entertainment areas are expected to be busier than usual a few days before the holidays. 

     The MTR Island Line, Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Tung Chung Line, East Rail Line (except to Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau), Ma On Shan Line, South Island Line, West Rail Line and Light Rail Routes 505, 507, 610, 614P, 615P, 706 and 751 will operate around the clock on December 24.

     Some bus and minibus services will be extended or augmented during the Christmas holidays. Hong Kong Tramways and the Central to Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system will also provide extended services. In addition, the ferry service between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui will be extended during the Christmas holidays.

     The public are advised to make use of public transport and avoid driving to busy areas. If driving is necessary, motorists are advised to drive with care and patience and should be aware that on-street parking spaces will be suspended due to road closures and traffic diversion arrangements. Pedestrians are advised walk on the pavement, pay attention to road safety, be considerate and patient, observe traffic lights and follow advice or instructions given by the Police.

     The TD reminds the public that many public transport passengers are expected to travel via the land boundary control points during the holiday period. Cross-boundary passengers are advised to plan their journeys in advance and consider making their journeys during non-peak hours. As the waiting time for public transport services may be longer than usual if traffic at the control points is busy, passengers should observe order and heed advice on-site from the Police and staff of the public transport service operators concerned.

     The TD and the Police will closely monitor local and cross-boundary traffic during the holidays and take appropriate action whenever necessary. The public are advised to keep track of the latest traffic news.

     Details of special traffic and transport arrangements during the Christmas holidays will be available at the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).

​     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 20) that a sample of Chinese wolfberry leaf was found to contain a metal contaminant, lead, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a stall in Wan Chai Market for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained lead at a level of 0.39 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.3 ppm."
 
     The spokesman said that the CFS had informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and had requested it to stop the sale of the affected batch of the product. The CFS is tracing the source of the product concerned.
 
     "Based on the level of lead detected in the sample, adverse health effects will not be caused under usual consumption," the spokesman said.

     According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit may be prosecuted and is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.