A property owner who failed to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) was convicted and fined over $70,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts last week.

     The case involved a five-storey unauthorised village house with an area of about 28 square metres per storey at Sai Pin Wai, Yuen Long. Since the Lands Department would not issue a certificate of exemption for the building, it is not a New Territories Exempted House under the Buildings Ordinance (Application to the New Territories) Ordinance (Cap. 121). As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without the prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

     Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was fined $77,050 upon conviction at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on November 24.

     A spokesman for the BD said today (December 1), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who have failed to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, so as to ensure building safety."

     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

     The Kwun Tong Occupational Safety and Health Centre of the Labour Department (LD) will launch a wide range of occupational safety and health courses in the first half of 2024. The courses aim at enhancing the working population's understanding of the occupational safety regulations and their awareness of occupational health.   
      
     The courses cover a wide range of topics, including:
 

1. Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance and Regulations
2. Gas Poisoning in Manholes
3. Confined Spaces Regulations
4. Major Safety Regulations Related to Working in Catering Trade
5. Dangerous Substances Regulations
6. Safety Management Regulation
7. Safety Regulations on Manual Handling Operations
8. Regulations Related to Safety in Hotel Industry
9. Safety Regulations on Working in Times of Inclement Weather and Hot Environment
10. Major Safety Regulations Related to Accident Prevention in Office Work and Storage Work
11. A Brief Introduction to the Regulation on Display Screen Equipment
12. Office Workstation Setup
13. Air Monitoring and Ventilation Systems in the Workplaces
14. Lighting Assessment in the Workplaces
15. Guidance Notes on Standing at Work
16. More Exercise, Smart Work
17. Strategies for the Prevention of Occupational Diseases
18. Occupational Health in Catering Industry
19. Chemicals and Occupational Health
20. Medical Examinations for Workers Engaged in Hazardous Occupations in Industrial Undertakings
21. Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries
22. Occupational Health for Security Guards
23. Chemicals and Occupational Health in Hotel Industry
24. Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work in a Hot Environment
25. Occupational Health for Office Workers
26. Health Hints on the Use of Computer
27. Prevention of Upper and Lower Limb Disorders
28. Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders for Office Workers
29. Occupational Health for Cleansing Workers
30. Occupational Contact Dermatitis
31. Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries for Workers of Residential Care Home
32. Occupational Health for Professional Drivers
33. Work and Common Gastrointestinal Diseases
34. Occupational Stress
35. Happy Workplace
36. Work and Healthy Lifestyle
37. Work and Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension
38. First Aid in the Workplaces
39. Work and Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
40. Easy Tips for Healthy Eating at Work

 
     The courses will be conducted in Cantonese at the LD's Occupational Safety and Health Centre, G/F, Kwun Tong Community Health Centre Building, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong. Enrolment is free.
      
     Members of the public can apply via the online platform www.oshsreg.gov.hk/en or by fax. Please visit the LD's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content6.htm) for more details and call 2361 8240 for enquiries.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (December 1) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Silverstrand Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District.  Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     â€‹Hongkong Post announced today (December 1) that the latest Christmas mail posting date for local delivery before Christmas Day is December 20 (Wednesday). Mail posted after this date might run the risk of not being delivered in time because of the anticipated seasonal workload. Members of the public are advised to post mail as early as possible in order to avoid a last-minute rush.

     To ensure that greetings sent by air mail are delivered before Christmas, members of the public are reminded to post their mail on or before the latest dates of posting. A complete list of the latest dates of posting for this year's Christmas mail by air is displayed at all post offices. Customers may also find the information on Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.hk or contact the Hongkong Post enquiry hotline at 2921 2222.

     A Government spokesman today (December 1) reminded the food trade and members of the public that the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2021 (the Amendment Regulation) comes into effect in full today to specify partially hydrogenated oils (PHO), the main source of industrially produced trans fatty acids (IP-TFAs), as a prohibited substance in food. The related marking and labelling requirement also takes effect in parallel today.

     The spokesman said, "To meet the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating IP-TFAs from the global food supply by 2023, and in line with one of the key measures under Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Disease in Hong Kong, announced by the Government in 2018, the relevant provisions of the Amendment Regulation that impose a ban on PHO in the local food supply come into operation today, so as to eliminate IP-TFAs at source to protect public health."

     Moreover, along with the Amendment Regulation, the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulation 2021 stipulates that any prepackaged food containing hydrogenated oils, e.g. fully hydrogenated oil, must be indicated accordingly in the list of ingredients. The relevant provisions also commence today.

     For details of the Amendment Regulation, please refer to www.cfs.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/whatsnew_fstr/whatsnew_fstr_Food_Regulations_Harmful_Substances.html.