The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a work accident that happened at a construction site in Tseung Kwan O today (December 11), in which a female worker fell to her death from a bamboo scaffold at upper level of the external wall of a building under construction. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim's family.

     The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the use, erection, alteration and dismantling of, and making access to or egress from, the bamboo scaffold of the building. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is 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, 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, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a 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.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
     
     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (11 December) announced the response of public hospitals towards a multi-country product recall by a laboratory equipment supplier.
      
     The HA was informed by Abbott Laboratory on 5 December the risk of potentially falsely elevated or false positive results arising from some batches of Abbott Architect Reaction Vessels, a consumable used in various assays.
      
     An urgent ad hoc meeting with all hospital clusters was held last Friday (6 December) with relevant the clinical and laboratory representatives.  Public hospitals have immediately switched to other unaffected batches, while laboratories concerned have initially reviewed the impact of the potentially deviated results, upon identifying all types of tests involved.
      
     The vessels of the affected batches are used at HA hospitals for various haematological, biochemical and microbiological tests since late 2018. 
      
     “Preliminary assessments suggest that it is improbable patients were materially harmed as a direct result, nor does there seem to be any imminent, immediate and critical patient harm,” the HA spokesperson said.
      
     “Repeat tests will usually be performed to reconfirm positive results for treatment considerations, while clinicians will also consider other test results and clinical signs and symptoms for elevated readings in making diagnosis.”
      
     “The incident should have no impact on safety of blood or organ recipients because only samples with negative test results would be used,” the spokesperson added.
      
     Meanwhile, the HA has met with representatives from Abbott Laboratory to express its concerns regarding the handling of the product recall, to urgently request further definitive information on the cause and magnitude of potential deviation, together with recommendations for remediation.  Information on the response of overseas health authorities are being gathered through the supplier.  All HA laboratory teams will further review the patient data with the most up-to-date supplier information to reaffirm the clinical impact and, if needed, patients concerned will be contacted directly for further follow up.
      
     The HA will continue to monitor the latest development of the incident for necessary follow up actions.

     Since this June, Police Officers’ personal information has been unlawfully disclosed and widely published on the Internet.  Such information includes schools and classes that their children attended.  Police Officers who had been “doxxed” were affected by different levels of nuisance and intimidation, including harassment by telephone calls, identities being misused to apply for loans and to make online purchases, harassing Police Officers' family members by visiting their workplaces.  Some Police Officers or their family members even received letters threatening to hurt them brutally.

     These acts constitute serious intimidation and harassment to the Police Officers and their family members, causing grievous concern over their personal safety and mental distress.

     The Secretary for Justice as guardian of the public interest and the Commissioner of Police as a representative on behalf of all Police Officers applied to the Court for an ex parte injunction (HCA 1957/2019) to restrain persons from unlawfully and wilfully conducting themselves in those acts.

     The Court granted an interim injunction order on 25 October 2019 (with subsequent amendments dated 28 and 31 October 2019) which was to last until the return day on 8 November 2019 at 10:30a.m. On the return day, the Court ordered it be continued (with two variations) until trial or further order. Further, on 10 December 2019, the Court amended the interim injunction order such that Special Constables would also be protected. The interim injunction order restrains persons from unlawfully and wilfully conducting themselves in any of the following acts :-

     (a) using, publishing, communicating or disclosing to any other person the personal data of and concerning any Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings), including but not limited to their name, job title, residential address, office address, school address, email address, date of birth, telephone number, Hong Kong Identity Card number or identification number of any other official identity documents, Facebook Account ID, Instagram Account ID, car plate number, and any photograph of the Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings), intended or likely to intimidate, molest, harass, threaten, or pester any Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings), without the consent of the Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their family member(s) (as the case may be) concerned;

     (b) intimidating, molesting, harassing, threatening, or pestering any Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings); and

     (c) assisting, causing, counselling, procuring, instigating, inciting, aiding, abetting or authorizing others to commit any of the aforesaid acts or participate in any of the aforesaid acts;

     The two variations ordered by the Court on 8 November 2019 concern:

     (a) A newly added clarification that the order does not prohibit any lawful act(s) which are done solely for the purpose of a ‘news activity’ as defined in section 61 of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486).

     (b) The prohibition relating to “interfering” has been deleted.
 

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 11) that a sample of chilled tuna imported from Japan was found to contain a metal contaminant, methylmercury, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected above-mentioned sample at import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained methylmercury at a level of 1.1 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm."
 
     The spokesman said the CFS had informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and had requested it to stop sale of the affected product.
 
     "Methylmercury is the major form of mercury in fish. Mercury may affect the nervous system, particularly the developing brain. At high levels, mercury can affect foetal brain development, and affect vision, hearing, muscle co-ordination and memory in adults. Furthermore, as some international organisations such as the World Health Organization have pointed out, consuming predatory fish species is the main source of mercury intake for human beings. The report of the CFS' Total Diet Study has also pointed out that large fish or predatory fish species may contain high mercury levels (for example, tuna, alfonsino, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and king mackerel). Hence, groups particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of mercury, such as pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children, should opt for fish that are smaller in size for consumption and avoid consumption of the above-mentioned types of fish which may contain high mercury levels. This is to minimise the health risk posed to the foetus, infants and young children by excessive exposure to metal contaminants in food," he added.
 
     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.
 
     "People are advised to maintain a balanced and varied diet. To avoid health risks posed by excessive intake of metallic contaminants, pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children should avoid eating large or predatory fish," the spokesman said.
 
     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.

     Police today (December 11) appealed to the public for information on a girl who went missing in Cheung Sha Wan.
      
     Ng Ka-yan, aged 16, went missing after she left her residence in So Uk Estate yesterday afternoon (December 10). Her family made a report to Police on the same day.
      
     She is about 1.55 metres tall, 41 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion and long black hair. She was last seen wearing a white jacket, a beige sweater, black trousers, black and white sports shoes and carrying a black backpack.
      
     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing girl or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.