The Labour Department urges contractors, employers and employees of construction sites, factories and industrial undertakings to be more vigilant on workplace safety precautions before resuming work after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Both management and workers should pay more attention to work safety as conditions might have changed and their safety alertness diminished after the holiday.

Advance checking, preparation and implementation of safety measures are particularly important for potentially hazardous work processes, machinery and equipment.

All scaffolding, working platforms, lifting appliances, temporary power supply, gas-welding and flame-cutting operations, chemical processes, confined spaces, sewage work and excavations should be inspected by professionals to ensure they are in safe condition before resuming operation.

Workers should follow safety precautions when working at a height and in other hazardous work situations. To prevent accidents contractors and employers must bolster monitoring of their workplaces to ensure they are safe after the holiday.

Employers must offer a safe working environment, a safe plant and a safe system of work for employees. Failing to comply with this requirement warrants a $500,000 fine and six months' jail.

Employees should co-operate by following safety instructions and using safety equipment. Questions? Call 2559 2297.