以下是立法會會議上盧偉國議員的提問和勞工及福利局局長張建宗的書面答覆：
問題︰
據報，本年二月二十二日，屯門一個地盤內一輛重型吊臂車上已伸展的吊臂突然折斷，吊臂墜下的部分擊斃一名地盤工人。關於涉及吊臂車的工業意外，政府可否告知本會：
（一）過去五年，發生多少宗重型吊臂車在吊運時翻側或吊臂折斷的工業意外及其引致的傷亡人數；
（二）有否統計和分析第（一）項所述的工業意外的成因，並改善現行監管此類重型機械操作的措施，例如提高違例的罰則；若有，詳情為何；若否，原因為何；及
（三）會否參考其他地區的經驗，設定此類重型機械的最長可使用年期，以期減少由機械老化引致的意外，並規定該等機械只可由曾接受專業訓練及具備認可資格的人員操作；若會，詳情及實施時間表為何；若否，原因為何？
答覆：
主席：
就盧偉國議員的提問，我現答覆如下：
（一）在過去五年（即二○○九年至二○一三年），共有24宗涉及重型吊臂車在吊重時翻側或吊臂折斷的事故，其中7宗事故導致8名工人受傷。
（二）在上述的24宗事故中，導致意外的主要原因包括未能保持起重機械的穩定／操作失誤、超逾安全操作負荷及起重機械故障，詳細分析見下表：
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 總數
－－ －－ －－ －－ －－ －－
未能保持
起重機械 2 3 2 2 3 12
的穩定／ （50%）
操作失誤
超逾安全 3 2 0 1 0 6
操作負荷 （25%）
起重機械 0 0 3 1 2 6
故障 （25%）
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
總數 5 5 5 4 5 24
鑑於二○一四年第一季發生了3宗涉及吊運的死亡工業意外，其中一宗涉及重型吊臂車，勞工處已即時加強有關吊運操作安全的巡查執法，在今年第一季針對涉及吊運操作的建築地盤進行了特別巡查行動，共發出近70張法定通知書及會提出46宗檢控。勞工處並聯同職業安全健康局、業界商會及吊運專業團體為幾百名從事吊運的承建商在四月底舉行「流動式起重機操作安全研討會」，敦促業界提升吊運操作的安全措施。在會上，勞工處亦有把在執法時留意到的系統性安全風險事項告知他們，提醒他們在進行吊運時，必需確保起重機械保持穩定、安全負荷及安全操作，以及由合資格人士妥善維修、定期測試和檢驗起重機械等。勞工處在未來幾個月會繼續針對上述的系統性的安全風險嚴肅執法，一經發現違反工作安全規定，會即時按情況向承建商發出「敦促改善通知書」或「暫時停工通知書」及提出檢控，不會先作警告。
違反職業安全與健康的法例，最高可處罰款50萬及監禁12個月。勞工處會提交充分的資料供法庭作為判刑的參考，包括有關意外的嚴重後果、相關意外的上升趨勢、同類案件過往最高的判罰紀錄等。勞工處亦會視乎個別案件的情況，在有需要時要求律政司考慮就定罪及罰款向法院提出覆核或上訴。
（三）根據現行職業安全及健康法例，起重機械的擁有人（包括建築地盤的承建商）必須採取足夠措施確保使用起重機械的安全，包括須確保起重機械構造良好及妥為維修；由合資格的人定期檢查，並由註冊專業工程師定期進行徹底檢驗及測試；及操作時保持穩定及不得超逾安全操作負荷等。此外，法例規定起重機械只可由持有認可證明書及擁有經驗和足夠能力的人操作，承建商及僱主有責任為操作人員提供所需的資料、指導、訓練及監督。鑑於現行法例已就安全使用及維修和定期檢測起重機械作出規管，勞工處現階段不擬就此類吊運機械設定最長可使用年期。勞工處會繼續不時檢視現行有關吊運的工作守則及吊機操作員的安全訓練課程和通過工地巡查，加強吊運作業的安全。
Following is a question by Ir Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council:
Question:
It has been reported that on February 22 this year, the extended crane of a heavy-duty crane lorry at a construction site in Tuen Mun snapped, and the falling part of the crane hit and killed a construction worker. Regarding industrial accidents involving crane lorries, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of industrial accidents in the past five years in which heavy-duty crane lorries overturned or the cranes of which snapped during lifting, as well as the resultant casualties;
(2) whether it has compiled statistics on and analysed the causes of the industrial accidents mentioned in (1) and improved the existing measures for regulating the operation of this type of heavy-duty machinery, such as increasing the penalties for relevant offences; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it will make reference to the experience of other places and set a longest permissible service life for this type of heavy-duty machinery, with a view to minimising accidents arising from ageing machinery, as well as require that such machinery can only be operated by professionally trained personnel with recognised qualifications; if it will, of the details and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to Ir Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok's question is set out below:
(1) Over the past five years (i.e. from 2009 to 2013), there were 24 incidents involving overturning or snapping of lifting jibs during lifting operations of heavy-duty crane lorries, leading to eight injuries in seven of these incidents.
(2) The major causes of the above 24 incidents included failure to maintain the stability / improper control of lifting appliances, operations exceeding the safe working load and mechanical failure. A breakdown by cause of incidents is set out as follows:
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Total
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -----
Failure to
ensure the
stability/
improper 2 3 2 2 3 12
control (50%)
of lifting
appliances
Operation
exceeding 3 2 0 1 0 6
the safe (25%)
working load
Mechanical 0 0 3 1 2 6
failure (25%)
-----------------------------------------------------
Total 5 5 5 4 5 24
In view of the occurrence of three fatal industrial accidents involving lifting operations in the first quarter of 2014 (including one related to heavy-duty crane lorry), the Labour Department (LD) has immediately stepped up inspections and enforcement actions against lifting operations. In the first quarter this year, LD conducted a special enforcement operation targeting construction sites with lifting operations, resulting in the issue of nearly 70 legal notices and initiation of 46 prosecutions. With a view to urging relevant stakeholders to enhance safety measures on lifting operations, LD in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Council, the trade association and the lifting professional organisation concerned, organised a "Mobile Crane Operation Safety Seminar" for hundreds of lifting contractors in end-April. At the seminar, LD alerted the lifting contractors of the need to pay particular attention to the systemic safety risks that LD had detected during enforcement actions. These included the need to ensure the stability of lifting appliances, the safe working load and safe lifting, as well as proper maintenance, regular tests and examinations of lifting appliances by competent persons, etc. LD will continue to take stringent enforcement action against the aforesaid systemic safety risks in the coming months. LD will issue improvement / suspension notices and initiate prosecutions as appropriate without prior warning if and when any breaches of work safety requirements be detected.
A party who contravenes occupational safety and health legislation is liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment of 12 months. To serve as a reference for sentencing, LD will submit to the court adequate information including serious consequences incurred by the accident concerned, the upward trend of the type of accidents involved, the highest fine imposed in similar cases, etc. Depending on the circumstances of individual cases, LD will request the Department of Justice consider lodging a review or an appeal to the court in respect of the conviction and the penalty where necessary.
(3) Under the existing occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation, owners of lifting appliances (including contractors of construction sites) shall adopt adequate measures to ensure the safe use of lifting appliances, including the responsibility of ensuring that the lifting appliances are of good construction and properly maintained; that regular inspections are made by competent person; and regular tests and thorough examinations are conducted by competent examiners; and that the stability of lifting appliances is maintained and the safe working load is strictly adhered to throughout the lifting operations. In addition, the OSH legislation requires that the lifting appliances should only be operated by a competent person who holds a recognised certificate with relevant experience. The contractor and the employer have the responsibility of providing the operator with adequate information, instruction, training, and supervision. As relevant legislation already exists in regulating the safe use, maintenance, regular tests and examinations of lifting appliances, LD has no intention of setting any limit on the service life of heavy-duty lifting appliances at this stage. LD will continue to review from time to time the existing codes of practice relevant to lifting operations and the safety training course for crane operators, and enhance the safety of lifting operations through site inspections.
