Tag Archives: China

     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

     The Home Affairs Department (HAD) appeals to registered electors of the Ko Tong Indigenous Inhabitant Representative Election, and of the Nam Wai, Fung Yuen, Kau Lung Hang and Tseng Tau Tsuen (Upper) Resident Representativ… read more

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Government, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the Macao SAR Government, will officially launch the one-year Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area tomorrow (November 30). The first phase of the Pilot Scheme will start by arranging direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer of patients from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen and Macao (i.e. the University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital and the Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao) to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong. 

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, “The study on the provision of land-based cross-boundary transfer for non-emergency and non-critically ill patients and the exploration of rolling out a pilot co-operation scheme for cross-boundary referral of patients between designated public hospitals were put forward in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Chief Executive also put forward in his Policy Address last year the initiative to explore cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements between hospitals in the GBA. Under the staunch support and guidance of various national ministries as well as concerted efforts of the government departments of Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao, the Pilot Scheme is set for official launch tomorrow. This marks a new height in high-quality medical collaboration and development in the GBA while addressing the earnest anticipation of residents in the GBA. The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to deepen healthcare collaboration with other GBA cities to further boost healthcare integration within the GBA, thus building a Healthy Bay Area through joint endeavours and starting a new chapter for high-quality development in the GBA.”

     Under the mechanism of direct cross-boundary ambulance arrangements, upon assessment and agreement by the teams of designated cross-boundary collaborating hospitals, arrangements can be made for patients with specific clinical needs and suitable clinical conditions to be transferred directly to Hong Kong between designated hospitals in a point-to-point mode without the handover of patients between ambulances at boundary control points, thus minimising risks posed to patients during transfer. 

     The Pilot Scheme has a mechanism in place to avoid abuse while ensuring the safety of cross-boundary transfer. Since medical conditions and needs vary among patients, doctors at the sending hospital will assess, on a case-by-case basis, the need for the patient to have cross-boundary inter-hospital transfer for continuous treatment or recovery services, taking the patient’s clinical diagnosis and actual conditions into consideration. The doctors at the sending hospital will communicate with the Major Incident Control Centre of the Hospital Authority for joint assessment, information exchange and co-ordination with the receiving hospital to decide whether the transfer mechanism should be activated. The sending and receiving hospitals will also ensure that the patient’s relatives and/or the patient have given consent to the relevant arrangements and are informed of the risks involved in the transfer.

     The Hong Kong SAR Government has been in proactive discussion and close collaboration with Guangdong and Macao governments regarding the direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements. To make full preparation, governments of the three places have conducted three drills in total in August and October this year, simulating the transfer of patients under the cross-boundary ambulance arrangements. 

     Subject to the effectiveness and operational experience of the Pilot Scheme, governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will further consider arrangements for expanding the Scheme in its next phase. read more

     A property owner who persistently failed to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) was convicted and fined over $100,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts last week.

     The case involved two unauthorised structures, with areas of about 22.9 and 4.7 square metres respectively, on the flat roofs of a residential building in Hung Shui Kiu, Yuen Long. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owners under section 24(1) of the BO.
 
     Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was fined over $11,000 upon conviction by the court. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, the BD instigated prosecution again. The owner was fined $108,070 in total by the Court, of which $98,070 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon conviction at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts on November 22.
 
     A spokesman for the BD said today (November 29), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement actions and consider instigating prosecution against owners again if they persist in not complying with the orders to ensure building safety.”
 
     Failing to comply with a removal order without a 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. read more

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met Vice Minister of General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) Mr Wang Lingjun today (November 29). They jointly witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Implementation on the Co-operation Arrangement for Entry-exit Health Inspection and Quarantine between the GACC and the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government by the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, and Deputy Director General in the Shenzhen Customs District Mr Chen Jinhua.

     Professor Lo said, “I would like to express my gratitude to the GACC for its staunch support to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the entry-exit health inspection and quarantine. Since the signing of the Co-operation Arrangement for Entry-exit Health Inspection and Quarantine between the GACC and the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (Co-operation Arrangement) between the Health Bureau (HHB) and the GACC in November last year, the two sides have strengthened the joint efforts in disease prevention and control as well as communication in terms of entry-exit health inspection and quarantine, and the collaboration mechanisms have also been operating smoothly. To better implement the Co-operation Arrangement, the Department of Health (DH) and the Shenzhen Customs District signed the MOU today to further deepen the co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, safeguard the wellbeing and safety of residents and travellers of the two places, and facilitate customs clearance between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.”

     At the meeting, Professor Lo and Mr Wang exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, including facilitation measures for cross-boundary flow of special articles, such as human tissues, biological products, and blood and blood-related products, for scientific research purposes as stated in the “Customs’ Certain Measures on Supporting Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone” recently published by the GACC.

     Professor Lo emphasised, “Promoting convenient and highly efficient cross-boundary flow of innovation elements is crucial for supporting the establishment of the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform by the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center in the Shenzhen Park together to extend the research and development network and expedite clinical trials. The HHB will work closely with the GACC and Shenzhen Customs District to take forward timely implementation of relevant cross-boundary facilitation policies.”

     Today’s meeting was another occasion where Professor Lo met with leaders of the GACC after his last visit to the GACC in Beijing in September. The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Edwin Tsui, and the Director (Quality and Safety) of the Hospital Authority, Dr Michael Wong, also attended the meeting today. read more