HIT:: Hongkong International Terminals

Container handling involves the extensive use of heavy-duty lifting plant and container trucks and as such careful planning is essential to ensure safety. HIT has made it a priority to provide a safe working environment to all employees, contractors and terminal users.

Safety Management System

" HIT has a comprehensive Safety Management System driven by a two-tier committee comprising:

	The Safety Steering Committee, made up of senior executives and full-time safety practitioners.
	The Safety Committee, made up of nominated members of the workforce.

The ultimate objective of HIT's Safety Management System is to prevent injury and ill health in the workplace. Explicit safety rules and regulations cover the following: .

	High-risk work processes
	Fire precautionary measures
	Handling, transporting and storage of dangerous foods

Emergencies are a key issue. HIT recognizes that proper emergency plans are essential. Written emergency procedures cover a variety of potential hazards, including fire, typhoon, explosion, power failure, computer break-down and accidents causing injury have been developed.

Our Safety Record

HIT's safety record has improved steadily. The accident rate in terms of the number of injury accidents per 100,000 TEUs in 2004 has decreased by 54% since 1997. HIT is making every effort to maintain this momentum.

Our Safety Steering Committee drew up the comprehensive HIT Safety and Health Policy that sets out key objectives and principles.

Safety and Health Activities

A safe and healthy workforce is the cornerstone of an organisation. To this end, HIT launched a series of initiatives to promote greater safety and health awareness among staff members. Besides, HIT has been making ongoing effort to initiate and take part in community activities and to maintain close relationship with external parties for the sake of improving occupational safety and health. Here are some examples of HIT in action.

1. Hong Kong Occupational Safety and Health Award Forum

The successful development of the Auto Twistlock Detection System (ATDS) by HIT was recognized with a Bronze Award for "Safety Technological Achievement" by the Hong Kong Occupational Safety and Health Award Forum in June 2003.

2. Safety Quiz Contests

Safety Quiz Contest has been a major event jointly organized by HIT and other business units for promoting safety and health awareness within South China Division (SCD).

3. Zero Injury Accident Promotion Program for Stevedoring Workers

"Zero Injury Accident Promotion Program" is aimed at encouraging stevedoring contractors to strive for better safety performance. Awards are given to the stevedoring contractors who have attained an injury accident-free record or good safety records during a quarter.

4. Workplace Hygiene Charter and Recognition

HIT has joined the Workplace Hygiene Charter organized by the Occupational Safety and Health Council in support of the Government's "Team Clean" campaign.

HIT has also been awarded with the Certificate of Workplace Hygiene Recognition in the Workplace Hygiene Recognition program in 2003.

5. Stretching Exercises at Work - Practices

Sessions of practices on stretching exercises at work which aimed at fostering staff members' understanding of occupational health were held in August 2004.

6. Kwai Tsing District Road Safety Carnival

HIT has participated actively in community-wide safety promotional events. The annual Road Safety Campaign organized by the Kwai Tsing District Council in 2003 is just one example.

Typhoon Measures

HIT is devoted to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its employees, contractors and visitors. To this end, we have drawn up precautionary measures against typhoon in order to protect the safety of all employees and terminal users.

"Imagine the impact on Hong Kong's economy if its container port shuts down. HIT is committed to ensuring this never occurs."

Typhoons can bring devastating gusts exceeding 220kph, bringing enormous damage to equipment and major disruption to customers. HIT remains fully prepared. Operations gradually wind down, keeping operations running for as long as possible to minimize effects on HIT customers.

When the number 1 standby signal is issued, HIT triggers its monitoring mechanism by maintaining a close contact with the Hong Kong Observatory to keep track of the tropical cyclone /typhoon and prepares to secure its container yard and equipment.

Continuous weather-related information is sent by the Hong Kong Observatory. On-site wind-monitoring equipment measures local wind speeds at HIT terminals. If speeds exceed 61kph, an alarm will be activated to alert people in the container yard.

When the number 3 strong wind signal is issued and there is an indication from the Hong Kong Observatory that Hong Kong would be affected by the tropical cyclone/typhoon, HIT phases in its precautionary measures that include scheduling on-berth vessels to stop work and leave the Terminal for shelters, announcing to the public the time when the Terminal will close and securing the container yard and equipment before a higher signal is issued.

Stacks of containers are leveled out, as protruding containers are more susceptible to damage. Ships move away from berths. Quayside cranes are firmly secured and yard cranes are moved to designated positions and anchored. Each of the potential 90,000 containers is shackled to the one beneath. Container stacks are made rigid with special fittings. Securing the terminal takes hundreds of workers and a minimum of 16 hours.

Continuous weather-related information is obtained from the Hong Kong Observatory. On-site wind-monitoring equipment measures local wind speeds at HIT terminals. If speeds exceed 61kph, an alarm will be activated to alert people in the container yard. When the number 8 signal is issued, HIT will cease all terminal operations.

When the number 8 signal is changed to a lower signal and wind speeds return to safe levels, the HIT teams ensure lashings are dropped, containers are unshackled, equipment is replaced, gates are opened and ships are berthed. Working closely with the Police and Transport Department, HIT uses a dedicated communications system and CCTV to ensure traffic congestion following a typhoon is minimized.

Safety and Health Policy

It is the policy of the Company to provide a safe and healthy working environment for its employees, contractors and visitors and to conduct its operations and activities in a manner that protects human safety and health. Management and the general workforce have a joint responsibility for helping the Company to achieve these objectives. To carry out this policy, we adhere to the following principles:

	To implement safety management systems through our Safety Steering Committee to effectively manage safety and health risks;
	To seek continuous improvement in our safety and health performance taking into account evolving customer expectations, management practices, scientific knowledge and technology;
	To ensure that all equipment and systems are adequately designed and maintained for safe working conditions;
	To comply with all applicable laws, regulations and standards and, where adequate laws and regulations do not exist, adopt and apply standards that reflect the Company's commitment to safety and health;
	To involve employees and contractors in the improvement of the Company's safety and health performance;
	To inform our employees, contractors and visitors of their responsibilities as laid out by this policy and ensure these responsibilities are understood by all;
	To provide relevant safety training to individual employees and hold them accountable for managing safety and health in their area of responsibility;
	To conduct periodic reviews and safety and health audits on all operations and activities of the Company to assure compliance with this policy; and
	To ensure the effectiveness of this policy by conducting an annual policy review through our Safety Steering Committee