【明報專訊】AFATAL INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT YUEN WO ROAD IN SHA TIN –– two sewer workers died in a manhole after apparently inhaling hydrogen sulphide. Deadly accidents occur from time to time in confined spaces like manholes. A similar industrial accident occurred in just the same place as this incident 18 years ago. Although the government has a set of guidelines for working in confined spaces, whether the guidelines are actually implemented is another matter.
With similar tragedies happening repeatedly, it is hard to believe that they are mere coincidences. Whether there are systemic problems involved is worth further investigation. According to the government, there was theoretically no need for the two deceased workers to enter the manhole for work. However, the workers' union pointed out that in reality, if a manhole is clogged with rubbish, the actual industry practice is indeed to send someone down to clear it. The authorities must inspect the industry thoroughly, and see whether the employers have fulfilled their responsibility to guarantee the safety of workers.
Industrial accidents in confined spaces occur from time to time, and in recent years, there have been repeated incidents in Hong Kong where workers died due to inhaling biogas or hydrogen sulphide, with the deceased workers clearly lacking sufficient personal protective equipment. The Secretary for Labour and Welfare said last month that the revision of the code of practice for working in confined spaces is expected to be completed by the first half of this year to strengthen the protection of worker safety. However, before the release of the new guidelines, more workers lost their lives in a manhole.
In the night before last (22 April), four sewer workers were involved in an incident inside a three to four-metre-deep manhole at the Yuen Wo Playground in Sha Tin. Two of them managed to climb out of the manhole on their own, while the remaining two fell unconscious and were declared dead after being sent to hospital. Primary investigation showed that the workers inhaled hydrogen sulphide in the manhole. The two victims were only 26 and 34 years old.
In August 2006, a similar industrial accident also happened at the Yuen Wo Playground, where two workers died after inhaling biogas inside a sewer. 18 years later, there is yet another case of workers dying in a manhole at the Yuen Wo Playground. It is reasonable to question whether the authorities have remembered the lessons learnt from the past.
One of the key focuses of the latest tragedy is why the workers entered the manhole. Development Secretary Bernadette Linn said yesterday (23 April) that according to the planned work procedures, workers clean sewer canals from outside the manhole using high-pressure hoses, there is no need to enter the manhole for work. However, the actual industry practice seems to be another story.
The workers' union pointed out that according to industry practices, if there is rubbish in a manhole, workers are sometimes sent inside to clear it. Members of the sector also pointed out that despite the current various methods of cleaning the sewer from the outside, in the case of blockage due to hard objects like metal or concrete, it is likely that workers will have to be sent into the manhole to clean them up. The discrepancy between the authorities' understanding and the actual practices in the sector raises concerns about whether the authorities clearly understand the safety risks actually faced by sewer workers.
In the latest fatal manhole industrial accident, the deceased workers were obviously not provided with enough protective equipment or support. The authorities must thoroughly investigate all the details of the incident and ensure that the offenders of occupational safety are held accountable. At the same time, they should also comprehensively examine how widespread similar problems are in the industry and take appropriate measures to strengthen regulations, instead of just treating this tragedy as an isolated incident.
明報社評 2024.04.24：沙井致命悲劇又重演 業界職安缺失須檢視
沙田源禾路發生奪命工業意外，兩名渠務工人在沙井出事，疑吸入硫化氫喪生。沙井一類密閉空間，不時發生致命事故，今次事發地點18年前便曾發生同類工業意外，政府雖有密閉空間工作指引，然而實際執行是否到位，又是另一回事。
同類悲劇一再發生，難以想像是偶然巧合，當中是否存在系統性的問題，值得深入探討。根據政府說法，今次遇難的兩名工人，理論上毋須進入沙井工作，惟工會方面指出，現實中若發現沙井內有垃圾堵塞，行內的做法，確會派人入內清理。業界有否克盡己責確保工人安全，當局有必要全面檢視。
密閉場所工業意外不時發生，近年本港一再發生工人吸入沼氣或硫化氫喪命事故，遇害工人明顯沒有足夠的隨身保護裝備。勞福局長上月表示，期望上半年完成修訂密閉空間工作指引，加強保障工人安全，未料新指引尚未推出，又有工人命喪沙井。
4名渠務工人前晚在沙田源禾遊樂場一個3至4米深的沙井出事，其中兩人自行爬出沙井，另外兩人暈倒昏迷，送院後證實死亡。初步調查顯示，工人在沙井吸入硫化氫，兩名死者分別只有26歲及34歲。
源禾遊樂場2006年8月亦發生過同類工業意外，兩名工人在污水渠吸入沼氣死亡。事隔18年，竟然再有工人命喪源禾遊樂場沙井，外界有理由質疑，當局有否牢牢緊記教訓。
今次悲劇其中一個焦點，是為何工人會進入沙井。發展局長甯漢豪昨天表示，按照擬定工作程序，工人會從沙井外以高壓水喉清理渠管，毋須進入沙井工作，然而業界實際做法，似乎又是另一回事。
工會方面指出，根據行內做法，倘若沙井內有垃圾，有時確會派人入內清理。業界人士亦指出，雖然現時有多種從外部清理渠管的方法，但如果渠內有金屬、石屎等硬物，便有機會要工人進入沙井清理。當局的認知，跟業界現實操作情况有出入，令人關注當局是否清楚了解渠務工人實際所要面對的安全風險。
今次致命沙井工業意外，遇害工人明顯沒有充足安全裝備及支援，當局有必要徹查事故原委，向違規者追究責任，同時也要全面檢視類似問題在行內有多普遍，對症下藥加強執管，而不是僅僅將這次慘劇，當成個別事件。
/ Glossary生字 /
clog：to block something or to become blocked
discrepancy：a difference between two or more things that should be the same
isolated：single; happening once