The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (March 22) following up on two clusters of Candida auris carrier cases involving a total of nine residents from two residential care homes for the… read more
Hong Kong Customs today (March 22) reminded members of the public to stay alert to three models of suspected unsafe nail polish products. Members of the public should pay extra care with regard to safety and the potential carcinogenicity of such products.
Customs earlier received referrals from a related organisation that three models of suspected unsafe nail polish products were being supplied on the market. Customs officers immediately conducted inspections at different districts and successfully test-purchased three models for safety tests by the laboratory.
According to the test results, the three models of the nail polish products contained naphthalene which was a prohibited ingredient as stipulated in the relevant safety and technical standards for cosmetics. Therefore, the products concerned are suspected of failing to comply with the general safety requirements of the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO).
Moreover, Customs also found that one of the products concerned only bore warnings or cautions in Korean without any English and Chinese warnings or cautions, suspected to be in contravention of the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR), a subsidiary legislation of the CGSO.
Customs officers subsequently conducted operations and seized a total of 58 pieces of two models of the suspected unsafe nail polish products from a retailer and importer in Causeway Bay, and a wholesaler and importer in Sheung Wan.
Furthermore, Customs officers also conducted spot checks and inspections in various districts. None of the three models has been found on sale for the time being.
An investigation is ongoing.
Customs reminds members of the public to observe the following safety tips when purchasing and using nail polish products:
• Read in detail the instructions for safe use of the products;
• To avoid inhalation of harmful substances, keeping windows open to ensure adequate ventilation when using the products;
• Stop using the products and seek medical attention immediately if feeling unwell after use;
• Do not buy or use products from doubtful sources; and
• Purchase products at reputable retail shops.
Under the CGSO, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import into Hong Kong consumer goods unless the goods comply with the general safety requirements for consumer goods. Under the CGSR, where consumer goods or their packages are marked with warnings or cautions with respect to their safe keeping, use, consumption or disposal, such warnings or cautions shall be in both English and Chinese languages. Moreover, the warning or caution phrases must be legibly and conspicuously shown on the goods, any package of the goods, a label securely affixed to the package or a document enclosed in the package. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on subsequent conviction.
Members of the public with information relating to unsafe or law-breaking consumer goods may make a report via Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or by filling in an online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Kwai Chung yesterday afternoon (March 21), in which a male worker was suspected of having fallen from a bamboo scaffold on the external wall of a building to the ground. He was certified dead at the scene. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his 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 erection, alteration, dismantling and use of the bamboo scaffold on the external wall of the building at the construction site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”
The spokesman added, “We will complete the 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 Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years on conviction on indictment; or $3 million and imprisonment for six months on summary conviction.
In regard to yesterday’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and by email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and 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. read more
The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (March 22) that a site, Chai Wan Inland Lot No.185 at Cheung Man Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong, will be disposed of by public tender for development of Private Subsidised Sale Flats (Private… read more
It is no easy task for preserving ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy which have undergone centuries of historical evolution, thanks to the meticulous craftmanship of traditional mounting techniques. The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) has organised the “Seeing Art Anew: Mounting and Conservation of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy” exhibition, which focuses on selected research studies of the Chih Lo Lou Collection. With the support of the Conservation Office, the exhibition organised by the HKMoA’s curatorial team explores Chinese paintings and calligraphy from artistic and scientific perspectives, providing the public with insights into the conservation work behind the scenes of a museum. The exhibition was opened to the public today (March 22) at the HKMoA.
The exhibition commences with an introduction to “Landscape” by Lan Ying from the Chih Lo Lou Collection. It takes around 16 sets of artworks selected from the Collection as examples to showcase the materials, formats and methods in the traditional Chinese mounting of paintings and calligraphy. Deviating from conventional curatorial approaches, this exhibition not only explores the artistic styles of the works but also incorporates scientific analyses and generates images and videos through scientific equipment, providing scientific insights into the materials and mounting techniques of Chinese paintings and calligraphy for discussion and research.
On the conservation and protection of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, the exhibition showcases the preservation process and outcomes of the Chih Lo Lou Collection, underscoring the significance of the application of the latest non-invasive analytical techniques in the study and preservation of Chinese paintings and calligraphy. Throughout the exhibition period, the Assistant Curators from the Conservation Office will regularly conduct demonstrations on the mounting of Chinese paintings and calligraphy as well as their conservation work. Engaging closely with the conservators, visitors can gain valuable knowledge and insights in preserving these artworks.
Echoing the theme of merging art and science, the museum has invited local art group XR Experience to feature a series of multimedia displays for the exhibition. Among these displays is a 16-metre-long graphic portraying a conservation laboratory. Through the use of augmented reality technology, mounting tools come to life, gradually revealing the step-by-step processes on the wall. In the other corner of the gallery, the space is transformed into a fantastical conservation laboratory by the group’s talented illustrator. Using projection, they introduce a variety of commonly used mounting tools. Furthermore, the art group has designed an interactive animation titled “A day of a Conservator” which allows visitors to experience the work of a conservator and gain first-hand insights into their work.
The Chih Lo Lou Collection, one of the three major private collections of ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy in Hong Kong, was assembled by the late philanthropist and connoisseur of Chinese art, Mr Ho Iu-kwong (1907-2006). The Ho family generously donated 365 works from the Chih Lo Lou Collection to the HKMoA in 2018 and 2021 respectively. The Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy was set up to display the collection.
The exhibition will run until February 12 next year at the Chih Lo Lou Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy on the fourth floor of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon). For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/Seeing-Art-Anew.html or call 2721 0116 for enquiries.
