Labour Department extremely worried about deadly work mishap that occurred in Kwu Tung today
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The Labour Department (LD) is extremely worried about a deadly work mishap that took place at a building website in Kwu Tung today (September 4), in which a male employee fell from height while setting up metal mould at the external wall of a structure under building and construction. He was licensed dead later on in medical facility. The LD is distressed by death of the employee and reveals its inmost compassion to his household.
The LD’s representative stated, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the fixing work of metal mould at the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”
The spokesperson included, “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.”
To avoid employees from falling while operating at height, the LD advises companies to take ideal precaution, consisting of offering employees with ideal working platforms and guaranteeing that the platforms are effectively utilized by employees throughout the work. If the arrangement of working platforms is not practicable, companies need to supply appropriate full-body harnesses to employees, which must be connected continually to appropriate and protected anchor points or independent lifelines with fall detaining system to safeguard employees’ work-at-height security.
The basic task arrangements of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance need companies to offer safe workplace, plant and systems of work for their workers. Those who contravene the pertinent arrangements are responsible to an optimum fine of $10 million and jail time for 2 years.
In regard to today’s mishap, the LD will release a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application “OSH 2.0″site and e-mail, providing a short account of the mishap worried to responsibility holders, employees’ unions, expert bodies of security professionals and others, and advising the market of the significance of following security preventive steps to avoid a reoccurrence of comparable mishaps.
The LD will likewise advise the company worried of the liability for staff members’ payment under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, help relative of the deceased to declare staff members’ payment and carefully act on the case. For those with monetary problems, the LD will help them to request suitable emergency situation funds. Topic to the requirements and dreams of relative of the departed, the LD will likewise communicate with the Social Welfare Department for monetary or other help.
For the sake of protecting the security and health of workers at work, the LD attract companies to offer plant and systems of work that are safe and without threats to health. Workers need to likewise co-operate with their companies, embrace all precaution and utilize individual protective devices offered appropriately to prevent threatening their own work security which of other employees.