Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ16: Handling bird carcasses
Following is a question by the Hon Wong Kwok-hing and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (February 15):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council whether:
(a) the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has organised training
programmes for its staff and employees of its service contractors on how to
handle carcasses of birds and the related work; if so,
(i) of the contents and formats of such programmes;
(ii) of the ranks of staff invited to participate in such programmes, and
whether the staff appointed on different terms of employment (such as civil
servants, non-civil service contract staff and employees of contractors) enjoy
equal opportunities to participate in such programmes and have the same number
of hours of training; if not, of the basis for making the relevant arrangements;
and
(iii) of the number of programmes organised since last year, the number of
participants in such programmes, as well as the percentage of participants in
the total number of the staff concerned; and
(b) staff appointed on different terms of employment are provided with the same
protective gear when handling carcasses of birds and the related work; if not,
of the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has formulated a
package of contingency measures against avian influenza, covering work
procedures for the culling of poultry, cleansing and disinfection of premises,
and guidance notes on collection procedures for bird carcasses. These procedures
have already been incorporated into a code of practice and safety guidelines
issued to officers in charge in various districts.
As for the collection of bird carcasses in public places, FEHD has briefed the
staff in detail on the procedures for handling bird carcasses and disinfection
as well as general knowledge of personal protective gear and personal hygiene. A
code of practice and safety guidelines on these issues has also been issued.
Relevant information is also posted in district environmental hygiene offices
and roll-call points for easy reference of staff.
To enhance the vigilance of the staff and to ensure that they understand the
precautionary measures against avian influenza, FEHD has organised annual
large-scale briefings over the past two years on detailed contingency measures
against avian influenza (including the procedures for handling bird carcasses)
and distributed information booklets to them.
Workmen IIs in FEHD are staff responsible for collection of bird carcasses. FEHD
has distributed a code of practice and safety guidelines to these staff (about
1,200) and their supervisors. In addition, nearly 1,000 FEHD staff have also
attended the aforesaid large-scale briefings on the preparedness plan for avian
influenza (which also covered ways to handle bird carcasses). FEHD has also
instructed its contractors for street cleansing service to remind their staff of
the need for strict compliance with the code of practice and safety guidelines
in handling bird carcasses.
(b) Apart from providing suitable protective gear to civil servants and contract
staff of various ranks for handling bird carcasses, FEHD also requires its
service contractors to provide the same protective gear for their employees.
Ends/Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Issued at HKT 13:02
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