Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding that comes to their notice to the Drainage Services Department by calling the 24-hour drainage hotline on 2300 1110.

     As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.

     A spokesman for the LD said today (April 30) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.

     Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:

(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;

(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;

(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;

(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and

(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.

     In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.

     The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).

     Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding that comes to their notice to the Drainage Services Department by calling the 24-hour drainage hotline on 2300 1110.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) carried out a repatriation operation today (April 30). A total of 26 Vietnamese illegal immigrants were repatriated to Vietnam. The persons removed comprised 12 men and 14 women, all of whom were unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants. Among them were discharged prisoners who had committed criminal offences and had been sentenced to imprisonment.

​     The ImmD will remain committed to expediting the removal process to repatriate illegal immigrants and overstayers from Hong Kong as soon as practicable according to the actual situation through appropriate measures as necessary.

    

     One Hong Kong resident (defendant) was sentenced to 36 months' imprisonment upon conviction for eight charges including dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence (money laundering), conspiracy to deal with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, conspiracy to use identity card relating to another person, conspiracy to defraud, transferring an identity card to another person and making false representation to Immigration Officers at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (April 29). 

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) launched an anti-illegal worker operation last year and arrested a number of overstaying foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) working as cleaners in the same restaurant. It was later discovered that the arrested FDHs had all used others' identity cards during job seeking. The rightful holders of the identity cards concerned were investigated. In the course of investigation, one of the identity card holders, the defendant, admitted to have knowingly transferred her identity card to an overstaying FDH to impersonate her during job seeking. The defendant had also transferred her bank account to the FDH for receiving salary with the account and applying for a loan at a finance company. Also, the defendant defraud Immigration officers in the dependant visa application of her foreign spouse, requesting the FDH to provide her with the income proof the FDH obtained by illegal work for her to submit as her own income proof in the application.
 
     The defendant then adopted the same method and assisted her spouse to take up illegal work and receive salary using other's identity card and bank account. The defendant's foreign spouse was a recognisance form holder and he was not permitted to take up any employment in Hong Kong.
 
     The FDH and the defendant's foreign spouse pleaded guilty to offences related to the use of others' identity cards and were sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment respectively earlier.

     "Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who without lawful authority or reasonable excuse transfers to another person an identity card commits an offence. It is also an offence to use or have in his custody or possession an identity card which relates to another person. Offenders are liable upon conviction to the maximum penalty of a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for 10 years," an ImmD spokesman said.

    "Under the laws of Hong Kong, it is an offence to make a false representation to Immigration Officers. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction, the maximum penalty of a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years," the spokesman warned.

    The spokesman continued that conspiracy to defraud is a serious offence. Under the Crimes Ordinance, offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years.