以下是六月二十六日在立法會會議上盧偉國議員的提問和運輸及房屋局局長陳帆的書面答覆︰
問題：
據報，上月十六日，西區一輛行駛中吊臂車的吊臂疑因未收合妥當而勾到和損毀電車系統的架空電纜，導致有關路段的電車服務暫停，以待工程人員維修該電纜。關於涉及吊臂車的道路安全，政府可否告知本會：
（一）過去五年，每年因吊臂車吊臂未收合妥當而釀成的交通意外宗數及所引致的傷亡人數；
（二）過去三年，有否檢討並改善監管吊臂車操作的措施，例如提高違反工作安全規定的罰則；若有，詳情為何；若否，原因為何；及
（三）會否與相關業界人士商討，如何改善吊臂車的設計和操作指引，並加強對操作人員的安全作業培訓，以免同類意外發生；若會，詳情為何；若否，原因為何？
答覆：
主席：
就盧偉國議員的提問的各部分，現答覆如下：
（一）根據運輸署的紀錄，在二○一四年一月至二○一九年五月期間，共有兩宗涉及吊臂車的吊臂未收合妥當的交通意外，其中一宗在二○一五年發生，有一名乘客輕傷，另一宗則在二○一八年發生，有一名駕駛吊臂車的司機重傷。運輸署並沒有備存不涉及傷亡的交通意外紀錄。
（二）及（三）現時政府已有就吊臂車在道路上行駛的安全要求作適當規管。在道路上行駛的所有商用車輛（包括吊臂車）必須在首次登記前及之後的每年進行並通過車輛檢驗，以確保車輛適宜於道路上使用，以及裝設在車輛上的流動工業設備已安裝穩固。《道路交通（車輛構造及保養）規例》（第374A章）第6條規定，吊臂車在行駛時的總高度（包括車輛上的負載物及設備）不可超越4.6米。此外，吊臂車在工業經營場所操作時，吊臂操作員必須符合《工廠及工業經營條例》（第59章）的訓練及資格規定，以保障工人安全。
另外，《道路交通（交通管制）規例》（第374G章）第58條規定，司機須確保在道路上的汽車、其一切部分及附件，以及負載物不會對任何人造成或相當可能造成危險，亦不會對道路或對公共或私人財產造成或相當可能造成損害，否則便屬違法。如屬首次被定罪，可處罰款5,000元及監禁三個月。
運輸署亦已制訂《車輛載貨守則》，提醒吊臂車操作員在使用車輛附有的吊臂後，應把吊臂放回原來靜止的位置；並建議車輛應裝設警示系統，一旦吊臂在車輛行駛途中偏離其靜止位置時，可以提示司機。運輸署會繼續以宣傳及教育方式，提醒吊臂車車主、司機及吊臂操作員多加留意及遵守在道路上安全使用貨車的規例。運輸署亦會藉與貨車業界定期舉行的會議，以及其編印的貨車運輸通訊刊物，提醒貨車業界安全駕駛吊臂車。
政府會繼續留意吊臂車在道路上行駛時的安全情況，以適時檢視是否需加強相關的規管。
Following is a question by Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, in the Legislative Council on June 26:
Question:
It has been reported that on the 16th of last month, the crane of a crane lorry running on the road in the Western District hooked and damaged an overhead cable of the tramway system, allegedly because the crane had not been folded properly. As a result, the tram service at the road section concerned was suspended for works personnel to repair the cable. Regarding road safety involving crane lorries, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of traffic accidents caused by cranes of crane lorries not folded properly and the resultant casualties, in each of the past five years;
(2) whether it reviewed and improved, in the past three years, the measures regulating the operation of crane lorries, such as raising the penalties for contravening the work safety requirements; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) whether it will discuss with members of the relevant trades ways to improve the design of crane lorries and the operational guidelines as well as enhance the training for the operators in relation to safe work practices, so as to avoid the occurrence of similar kind of accidents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the various parts of Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok's question is as follows:
(1) According to the records of the Transport Department (TD), during the period from January 2014 to May 2019, there were two cases of traffic accidents involving crane lorries with cranes not properly folded. One of the cases occurred in 2015 causing minor injury to a passenger, and the other occurred in 2018 causing serious injury to a driver of a crane lorry. The TD does not maintain records of traffic accidents not involving casualties.
(2) and (3) At present, the Government has put in place appropriate regulations regarding the safety requirements for crane lorries running on roads. All commercial vehicles (including crane lorries) running on roads must undergo and pass vehicle examination prior to first registration and annually thereafter in order to ensure that the vehicles are roadworthy and all on-board mobile industrial equipment is securely installed. As stipulated under regulation 6 of the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374A), the overall height of a crane lorry (including the load and equipment it carries) must not exceed 4.6 metres when running on roads. Also, when a crane lorry is operated in an industrial undertaking, the crane operator must comply with the training and qualification requirements as stipulated under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (Cap. 59) for protection of safety of the workers.
Separately, regulation 58 of the Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations (Cap. 374G) provides that the driver of a motor vehicle on a road shall ensure that the motor vehicle, all its parts and accessories, and its load shall be such that no danger is caused or is likely to be caused to any person; or no damage is caused or is likely to be caused to a road or to public or private property. Otherwise, the driver commits an offence, and is liable to a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for three months on first conviction.
The TD has also prescribed the Code of Practice for the Loading of Vehicles, which reminds crane operators to have the crane lowered and returned to its stowed position after operating the crane attached to the vehicle. The Code of Practice also recommends the installation of warning systems on vehicles to alert drivers if the cranes are out of their stowed position when the vehicles are in motion. The TD will continue its publicity and education efforts to remind crane lorry owners, drivers and crane operators to take greater heed of and observe the safety regulations on the use of lorries running on roads. The TD will also seek to raise the trade's awareness of safe driving of crane lorries through its regular meeting with the goods vehicle trade and publication of the Goods Vehicle Trade Newsletter.
The Government will continue to monitor the safety of crane lorries running on roads with a view to examining the need to strengthen regulation in a timely manner.
