The Drainage Services Department (DSD) today (November 29) gazetted a notice to invite tenders for the contract for Hung Shui Kiu Effluent Polishing Plant Phase 1 – E&M Works and Biological Treatment Building (Contract… read more
​The Chief Executive in Council has authorised the proposed permanent closure of and ancillary works at Kim Shin Lane in Cheung Sha Wan to facilitate the Kim Shin Lane/Fuk Wa Street Development Project of the Urban Renew… read more
The Inland Revenue Department announced today (November 29) that starting from December 2, 2024, the new annual rate of interest payable on Tax Reserve Certificates will be 0.5500 per cent against the current rate of 0.7167 per cent… read more
The fourth phase of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MEELS) will be fully implemented on December 1 to include light emitting diode (LED) lamps, gas cookers and gas instantaneous water heaters.
MEELS was introduced in May 2008 under the Energy Efficiency (Labelling of Products) Ordinance (Cap. 598) (Ordinance), which requires energy labels to be shown on all prescribed products for supply in Hong Kong. The energy labels classify the energy performance of prescribed products into five grades. Products with a Grade 1 energy label are the most energy-efficient. With this concise and easy-to-understand label, consumers can make informed decisions in purchasing more energy-efficient products. Any person who supplies a prescribed product that does not properly bear an energy label or is not a ‘listed model’ under the Ordinance will commit an offence, and is liable to a fine of $100,000. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) will inspect retail shops to ensure compliance with the legislation.
Taking the fourth phase into account, MEELS covers a total of 11 types of products, including room air conditioners, refrigerating appliances, compact fluorescent lamps, washing machines, dehumidifiers, televisions, storage type electric water heaters, induction cookers, LED lamps, gas cookers and gas instantaneous water heaters. The fourth phase of MEELS came into effect on September 1, 2023, with a transitional period of 15 months. Upon the implementation of the fourth phase, the additional potential annual energy saving is estimated to be around 570 terajoules (around 160 million kilowatt-hours), equivalent to a reduction of about 75 000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. The total energy consumption in the residential sector covered by MEELS will substantially increase from about 50 per cent to about 80 per cent.
For more details of MEELS and information on the listed models, please visit the EMSD’s website (www.emsd.gov.hk/energylabel). read more
The revised Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces (CoP) will officially take effect tomorrow (November 30). The CoP was gazetted on May 31 this year, and a grace period of six months was provided to allow sufficient time for the industry to understand and prepare for the revised requirements.
During the grace period, the Labour Department (LD) has strengthened its publicity and promotions, as well as education and training, through various channels such as the LD’s website, the “OSH 2.0” mobile application, and a series of talks and seminars organised with relevant organisations to facilitate the industry’s better understanding of the CoP’s content.
The major revisions of the CoP include the enhancement of requirements for proprietors’ or contractors’ supervision on confined space work; highlighting the factors for assessing whether a particular job constitutes underground pipework; adding a detailed template on the risk assessment form and listing out the setting of an air-monitoring alarm; and an update on the Permit-to-work Certificate template. New requirements have also been added to the revised CoP, such as requiring proprietors or contractors to adopt technology to record videos at the entrance and exit of the confined space throughout the entire work period to enhance monitoring relevant personnel’s compliance with the safety precautions.
Meanwhile, the LD has refined the mandatory safety training courses for confined space operations to enhance the industry’s understanding of common risks and its ability to mitigate these risks, which includes updating the course content, extending the course duration and shortening the validity period of the relevant safety certificates so that industry personnel will refresh their safety knowledge more frequently and stay updated on new legislative developments. The revised courses will be launched tomorrow.
A spokesman for the LD said, “After the commencement of the revised CoP, the LD will continue to conduct surprise inspections at workplaces with confined spaces from time to time to review the relevant work processes and safety precautions implemented to ensure the safety and health of workers.”
The spokesman added, “The CoP has a special legal status. In criminal proceedings, if a relevant person fails to observe any provisions of this CoP, that failure may be taken by the court as a relevant factor in determining whether or not a person has breached the relevant occupational safety and health legislation.”
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For more information on working in confined spaces, or to download the revised CoP, please visit the LD’s new thematic website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/osh_confinedspace.htm). Enquiries about the CoP can be made at 2559 2297. read more