Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Kowloon City today
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a building in Kowloon City this afternoon (November 5), in which a male worker, while dismantling a bamboo scaffold at the external wall of the building, fell from height to the first-floor canopy. 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 suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the erection, alteration, dismantling and use of the bamboo scaffold at the external wall of the building. The contractors cannot resume the work 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."
To prevent workers from falling from height while dismantling bamboo scaffolds at external walls of buildings, the LD reminds employers to take suitable safety measures, including providing every worker engaged in the work with a suitable full-body harness that is attached continuously to a suitable and secure anchor point or an independent lifeline with a fall arresting system, and ensuring the proper use of the safety equipment by the workers concerned throughout the work.
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 today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and 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 proactively participates in seventh China International Import Expo and organises Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference
The seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) is being held from today (November 5) to November 10 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Over 300 Hong Kong enterprises participate in this year's CIIE to promote quality Hong Kong products and services, representing almost one-tenth of the total number of exhibitors at the Enterprise and Business Exhibition. The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, led a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government delegation to attend the opening ceremony and relevant events today.
Mr Lee, together with the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, attended the opening ceremony of the CIIE and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum this morning.
Later, Mr Lee accompanied Premier Li Qiang in touring the Hong Kong Exhibition Area at the China Pavilion. Under the theme of "Connectivity and Opening up", the Hong Kong Exhibition Area showcased Hong Kong's top position in international rankings and leading performance reflected in indicators of various areas; the active efforts in attracting enterprises, investment and talents, and promoting Hong Kong's position as the "eight centres" including an international trade and financial centre, an international innovation and technology centre, and an international maritime centre; as well as the latest developments in new quality productive forces, with a view to promoting Hong Kong's strengths.
In the afternoon, Mr Lee, accompanied by Mr Chan, Mr Yau, and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Dr Peter Lam, visited the Hong Kong Product Pavilion and the Hong Kong Service Pavilion set up by the HKTDC at the Enterprise and Business Exhibition to show his support to Hong Kong enterprises. A total of 52 Hong Kong enterprises showcase quality products and services covering food, innovation and technology, professional services, logistics, information technologies, trade and finance at the two pavilions, which occupy an area of 1 500 square metres. A number of exhibitors participate in the CIIE for the first time to show that Hong Kong enterprises are keeping up with the times and actively developing new quality productive forces, such as using artificial intelligence to provide advanced services, combining traditional food with health concepts and building a modern brand image, and demonstrating Hong Kong as an ideal springboard for overseas brands to explore the Mainland market. They tell the good stories of Hong Kong at the CIIE through Hong Kong products and services.
The exhibition area of Invest Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Service Pavilion highlights Hong Kong's advantages, while that of the Hong Kong Tourism Board promotes Hong Kong's latest tourism appeal.
Later, Mr Lee and Mr Chan attended the high-level 2024 Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference - Shanghai Forum (Shanghai Forum) jointly organised by the HKSAR Government and the HKTDC, and delivered speeches to promote Hong Kong's advantages and its role as a connecting platform under the national dual circulation strategy to Mainland enterprises.
Following the successful Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference held in Beijing in September this year, a number of heavy-weight speakers gathered at the Shanghai Forum under the theme of "Hong Kong, joining hands with Shanghai, the channel for more opportunities", to share insights on Hong Kong's advantages and opportunities in different areas, attracting more than 500 participants.
Speaking at the Shanghai Forum, Mr Lee said, "Hong Kong enjoys the advantage of having strong support from the motherland and close connection with the world under 'one country, two systems', playing its roles as a 'super-connector' and 'super value-adder' while driving functions in going global and attracting foreign investment. Currently, there are over 2 100 enterprises from the Mainland based in Hong Kong, and more than 1 400 Mainland companies listed in Hong Kong, of which nearly 200 are from Shanghai, with a market value exceeding HK$2 trillion. This fully demonstrates that Hong Kong can become a financing and investment platform to serve the development of Shanghai and Mainland enterprises."
Mr Lee added that the new Policy Address has set out a number of reform initiatives aimed at exploring new growth areas for Hong Kong, creating new impetus for economic development. Hong Kong benefits from converging both the China advantage and the global advantage under "one country, two systems" and will leverage its strengths to achieve complementarity with Shanghai, fostering mutual benefits and synergistic development.
In addressing the topic "Hong Kong's Advantages" in his speech, Mr Chan highlighted that for Mainland enterprises, Hong Kong holds the unique advantages of being international and practising the common law. These advantages can facilitate the expansion of such enterprises' international business. Using the fundraising market as an example, in addition to its highly internationalised securities and bond markets, Hong Kong boasts a thriving venture capital ecosystem, a full spectrum of funding sources, a good variety of financial products, and a foreign exchange market in which currencies are freely convertible. These make Hong Kong an ideal location for Mainland enterprises to establish corporate treasury centres. He also emphasised that Hong Kong has a highly developed transport infrastructure that connects conveniently with the world, along with high-quality education and a great quality of life. He said that Hong Kong welcomes friends from the Mainland to come to Hong Kong to pursue their dreams.
Government delegation members including Mr Yau; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip; the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), Ms Salina Yan; the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Ms Maggie Wong; and the Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology), Dr Ge Ming, also attended the Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference. Two thematic networking sessions were hosted by Ms Yan and Dr Ge to the senior managements of the Mainland's financial and innovation and technology enterprises intending to be listed or develop business in Hong Kong for in-depth promotion of the investment opportunities in Hong Kong.
The Executive Vice Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zhou Ji; the Mayor of Shanghai, Mr Gong Zheng; the Vice Minister and Deputy China International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr Ling Ji; Vice Minister of Science and Technology Mr Long Teng, as well as Dr Lam, also spoke at the event.
A number of Hong Kong's business leaders were invited to the Shanghai Forum to share their insights on the unique positions and advantages of Hong Kong and Shanghai in international finance, international technology and innovation, and professional services sectors, as well as to explore ways to promote complementarity and shared prosperity of the two places. They included the Group Chairman of Nan Fung Group and the Group Chairman and Co-Founder of New Frontier Group, Mr Anthony Leung; the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Ms Bonnie Chan; the Head of Des Voeux Chambers, Ms Winnie Tam, SC; and the Chairman of GT Healthcare Capital Partners, Professor Lo Yuk-lam. In addition, a Mainland representative shared the successful experience of Shanghai-Hong Kong co-operation and investing in Hong Kong. Invest Hong Kong also signed a number of key co-operation projects with Shanghai enterprises.
