Hong Kong – Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Ta Kwu Ling yesterday

Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Ta Kwu Ling yesterday

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     ​The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a landfill in Ta Kwu Ling yesterday afternoon (December 25), in which a male worker, while assisting in refuse dumping work, was trapped between the rear of a refuse container tractor and a refuse tipper. He was certified dead later in hospital. 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 a suspension notice to the contractor concerned, suspending the use of the refuse tipper. The contractor cannot resume the use of the refuse tipper 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.

Hong Kong – Labour Department investigates fatal work accident in Ta Kwu Ling

Labour Department investigates fatal work accident in Ta Kwu Ling

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     The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that happened in Ta Kwu Ling this afternoon (December 25) in which a man died. 

     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.  

Hong Kong – Completion of inspection work by Buildings Department and Lands Department of houses along seafront of Redhill Peninsula

Completion of inspection work by Buildings Department and Lands Department of houses along seafront of Redhill Peninsula

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     A Government spokesman said today (December 22) that, to combat unauthorised building works (UBWs) and unlawful occupation of government land of houses along the seafront of Redhill Peninsula, the Buildings Department (BD) and the Lands Department (LandsD) completed last month (November) inspection of all houses along the seafront and has been issuing removal orders and notices requiring cessation of occupation of government land to relevant owners based on inspection findings. The departments will also consider prosecution action against the offenders after examining the evidence and seeking legal advice. In addition, the two departments commenced the joint operation at Beaulieu Peninsula in Tuen Mun this month on suspected irregularities of houses along the seafront or near the slope. 

     “The BD and the LandsD commenced a large-scale joint operation on September 22 to focus inspections on the remaining 85 houses (i.e. houses along the seafront other than the four houses at the landslide location which were inspected earlier) along the seafront of Redhill Peninsula in accordance with the risk-based enforcement approach, and successfully entered all 85 houses for inspection and collection of evidence. At this stage, it is found that 29 of the houses involved both UBWs and unlawful occupation of government land, 40 involved UBWs, and one involved unlawful occupation of government land. No UBWs or unlawful occupation of government land were found for the remaining 15 houses. As the situation of UBWs in some of the houses requires further inspection and collection of evidence, the final number of houses involving UBWs is subject to further verification. The BD and the LandsD have been issuing removal orders under the Buildings Ordinance or notices pursuant to the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance respectively to require the relevant owners to remove the UBWs in private premises and land and require the relevant persons to demolish the structures on government land and cease occupation of the land,” the spokesman said. 

     For cases impacting on the slope or building structure, the owners must appoint registered building professionals to submit remedial proposals (including an assessment on the impact of the relevant UBWs on the overall slope and building structure) and building plans to the BD, and reinstate the affected parts of the buildings by registered contractors in accordance with the approved plans after obtaining the department’s approval and consent. The relevant reinstatement works should be commenced within 90 days and completed within 150 days from the date of issuance of the order. For UBWs not involving the above circumstances, the owner must appoint registered building professionals and/or registered contractors to carry out the removal of UBWs in accordance with the simplified requirements and procedures of the Minor Works Control System and commence the works within 30 days and complete them within 60 days from the date of issuance of the order. The BD will also deliver the orders to the Land Registry for registration against the relevant property titles (commonly known as “imposing an encumbrance on the register”). 

     For cases of unlawful occupation of government land, the relevant persons must submit a proposal for the demolition of structures on government land for approval by LandsD within 30 days from the date of the notice issued by the department and ensure that the works will not affect the safety and stability of the slope. The deadline for completion of demolition works will depend on the scale of the demolition works but should not exceed 150 days from the date of issuance of the relevant notice. 

     The BD will instigate prosecution against owners who fail to comply with the removal orders without reasonable excuse. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one-year imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. As for non-compliance with the LandsD’s notice to demolish the structures on the government land or persons who continue to occupy government land in contravention with the notice without reasonable excuse, the LandsD will instigate prosecution against the persons concerned. If convicted on the first occasion, the maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment of six months, and a further fine of $50,000 for each day that the offence continues; on each subsequent occasion of conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $1,000,000 and imprisonment of six months, and a further fine of $100,000 for each day that the offence continues. The owners must bear the costs of removing the UBWs and the structures occupying government land on their own. 

     Apart from issuing removal orders and notices requiring cessation of occupation of government land, the BD and the LandsD are continuing with their investigations of cases involving UBWs and unlawful occupation of government land, including the irregularities of the four houses at the earlier landslide location. If there is sufficient evidence, further prosecution action against the persons (including owners, professionals and contractors participating in the construction works of the UBWs) involved in the above cases of irregularities will be considered after seeking legal advice. Investigations of these cases are in progress. In addition, the Government is continuing with the investigation of causes of the earlier landslide. If it is found that UBWs or unlawful occupation of government land in individual houses were related to the landslide, the Government will seek to recover the cost of emergency repair works and related costs incurred in the earlier upgrading of slopes from the relevant persons. 

     The Redhill Peninsula incident has revealed that UBWs or unlawful occupation of government land in houses along the seafront could pose safety hazards and risks to surrounding slopes. In line with the risk-based enforcement approach, the two departments commenced another joint operation this month, targeting houses along the seafront or near the slope on Beaulieu Peninsula in Tuen Mun. In the past, the BD has issued removal orders to individual houses in the estate and prosecuted those owners who failed to comply with the orders. However, as there are still other houses on Beaulieu Peninsula involving UBWs, unauthorised site formation works and unlawful occupation of government land as shown in the aerial photos, the BD and the LandsD decided to target the houses along the seafront or near the slope in the estate and commence the joint operation.   

Hong Kong – Labour Department investigates fatal work accident in Tseung Kwan O

Labour Department investigates fatal work accident in Tseung Kwan O

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     The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that happened in Tseung Kwan O this afternoon (December 5) in which a man died.

     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.

Hong Kong – Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent websites of HKeToll

Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent websites of HKeToll

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     The Transport Department (TD) today (November 24) alerted members of the public to the following fraudulent websites that pretend to be HKeToll, which seek to deceive users into making payments and obtain their vehicle registration marks and credit card information. The fraudulent websites are:

1. hketolletca[.]com
2. hk.gov.hketolletca[.]com
3. gov.hketolletca[.]com
4. gov.hketoliese[.]com

     The TD clarifies that the above websites have no connection with HKeToll and has referred the case to the Police for follow-up. The TD reminds that if a vehicle owner wishes to pay an outstanding toll online, they must log in to the HKeToll website (hketoll.gov.hk) or mobile app.

     Members of the public should stay alert when receiving unidentified messages. They should not visit suspicious websites, nor should they disclose any personal information. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the websites concerned should contact the Police. For enquiries about HKeToll, please call 3853 7333.