Opening Speechby Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, JP,Permanent Secretary for Economic and Labour (Labour)at the 19th Boilers & Pressure Vessels Seminar (2 November 2005)

"New Technology and Management"

Dr the Hon Raymond Ho, Dr Ng, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. Let me first extend a very my warm welcome to all of you to the 19th Boilers and Pressure Vessels Seminar.

2. This year's seminar is organized jointly by the Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council, and co-organized by six leading companies and bodies. They are CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd., Hongkong Electric Company Ltd., British Oxygen Company Group Ltd., Hong Kong Oxygen and Acetylene Co. Ltd., the Hong Kong Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International and the Hong Kong Land Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors Association Ltd. We are indebted to all of them for their generous and unfailing support not only for today's meaningful event but also for the previous eighteen seminars held over the past twenty years.

3. Today's seminar is a professional development occasion for boilers and pressure vessels professionals. I hope that you will make use of this seminar as a platform to network and share experience with your peers, learn from the experts, digest what you have absorbed and apply it. In this way, you can experience real growth - both personally and professionally. As we grow, employers and workers will benefit from our enhanced experience and expertise. And we will advance further the cause of achieving zero accident in the use of boilers and pressure vessels in Hong Kong.

4. The Labour Department is committed to ensuring that the risk associated with the operation of boilers and pressure vessels is properly managed and controlled. I am glad to say that we have achieved considerable success. For the past five years, there was, on average, less than one minor accident case involving boilers and pressure vessels per year and with no fatality. This is a record comparable to, if not better than, all advanced countries. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate every one of you on a job excellently done.

5. However, we must not be complacent and get carried away. We need to remind ourselves constantly that we are dealing with some potentially very dangerous equipment, and one mistake may result in a huge catastrophe. The amount of potential energy stored in boilers and pressure vessels, if released accidentally, would lead to extensive damage and heavy casualties. Indeed, such tragic accidents do occur around the world. According to a recent edition of the Journal of China Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety, a boiler explosion which occurred on 23 September 2004 in a metal pipe casting factory in Hebei province resulted in 13 deaths and six injuries, plus a direct economic loss of more than five million RMB. Lack of proper safety equipment, improper working procedures and poor management had all been identified as the causes of the explosion. This tragic accident is a stern reminder and wake-up call to all of us that we should always remain vigilant.

6. To ensure that this type of mishap will not happen, we need to continue to adopt the best technology and management techniques and that is why we have identified "New Technology and Management" as this Seminar's theme.

7. We are honoured to have experts from the China Special Equipment Inspection and Research Centre to give us some insight on the safety regulation and codes for pressure equipment on the Mainland. Afterwards, we will have enlightening presentations on the new technology currently adopted from CLP Power Hong Kong, Hongkong Electric, Foster Wheeler Machinery, Lloyd's Register of Shipping and the Hong Kong Institute of Marine Technology.

8. In keeping with the theme of new technology and management, the Boilers & Pressure Vessels Division of the Labour Department has just a replaced and upgraded its Pressure Equipment Information System. With the new system, we are able to keep a better record of the registered equipment. We can also monitor more closely the inspection work carried out by Appointed Examiners. Later on, our Surveyor of Ships, Mr Y.C. Tang, will present and introduce to you this new system.

9. Finally, I would like to thank all those concerned for their hard work in making this seminar a success. I wish the seminar every success and each of you a rewarding experience.

10. Thank you.