Quality of auto-LPG
監管車用石油氣安全 不能單靠一紙入口認證
文章日期:2010年1月18日

雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】MANY taxis have suddenly gone dead on the road. Not only does that affect cabbies' livelihood, but that may also endanger taxi drivers, their fares and other road users. The problem is very serious indeed. To date the authorities have yet to identify the cause of it, and it has come to light that the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), which licenses and monitors LPG filling stations, has only examined import certificates. It does not do even basic regular checks on LPG quality. In our view, the EMSD must no longer rely solely on LPG-suppliers' self-regulation. It should set up an effective system so that it can carry out supervision to make sure that imported auto-LPG is up to standard.


英語

的士「死火潮」一發不可收拾,不但影響的士業者生計,更是關乎的士司機、乘客和其他道路使用者安全的嚴重問題。當局至今仍未知道事態原因,而事件亦揭示了負責發牌和監管的機電工程署,過去一直只靠檢查入口證書監察進口氣體安全,連基本的定期抽驗也沒有。我們認為機電署不應再偏信業界自律,必須建立一套制度和機制,切實監管,以確保進口石油氣到銷售的供應鏈,都安全無虞。


普通話

If is extremely dangerous for a taxi or minibus to stall when being driven. It may not be possible for vehicles following it to stop in time. In that event, a bad road accident may ensue. A cabbie cannot do business if his cab is liable to stall, and he must also pay much money for its repair. However, what is most important is safety. The problem is very worrying. According to some cabbies, because many taxis have suddenly gone dead on the road and dangerous things have happened, many taxi drivers have the jitters. Now taxi and minibus drivers seem to have to stake their safety on their luck. That is totally unacceptable.


英語

的士和小巴在行駛中突然死火,是極之危險的,因尾隨的車輛會因為未能及時煞停,而釀成嚴重車禍。的士司機除了做不到生意,還要花大筆錢維修,生計受影響是一回事,最重要是安全問題使人忐忑不安。有的士司機反映,連日來不少的士在馬路上死火,險情處處,不少司機因而人心惶惶。目前的情况,只是把的士、小巴和行車安全押注在運氣上,完全不能接受。


普通話

The serious problem bears on citizens' safety, but the EMSD is unable to identify its cause promptly. We believe that has much to do with its lax supervision. The EMSD does not carry out regular checks on LPG quality. It only examines import certificates. It has said by way of explanation that, when LPG taxis were introduced, the government adopted the internationally accepted practice because import certificates are issued by independent third parties. The EMSD has failed to find out why many taxi have gone dead on the road because no regular checks are made on LPG quality. It has admitted that, since it does not tests auto-LPG, it lacks the equipment to do so. Now it must do tests because of the problem, it has hastened to acquire containers for taking pressurised gas samples.


英語

如此一樁涉及公衆安全的重大事件,未能即時釐清險情,我們認為與機電署過去未認真監察有關。現在機電署監管進口車用石油氣,並無定期抽查氣體樣本的制度,只是在石油氣進口時,檢查入口證書。機電署解釋,石油氣入口證書由獨立第三者發出,當年引入車用石油氣時,政府採用了這個國際認可做法。機電署負責車用石油氣站發牌和監管,但是監管手段主要靠入口憑證,因此,近日發生的士「死火潮」,機電署也不能第一時間掌握事態因由,主要是因為石油氣入口後根本不會再有官員巡查。該署也承認了,因為他們不抽驗氣體樣本,所以連相關設施配置也付之闕如。事發後,由於要抽樣驗,該署才急忙購買收集氣體樣本的容器。


普通話

The EMSD is in passivity because it lacks even basic sampling equipment. We believe it has not promptly discovered what has caused the problem because it has been inactive for years. It is clear from what has happened that, to ensure that imported LPG is up to standard, it is not sufficient just to examine import certificates.


英語

機電署連基本的採樣設施也沒有,因此顯得十分被動。我們認為該署未能及早掌握事態和釐清情况,正是多年來「無為而治」的結果。從今次事件看來,單憑入口認證監管進口石油氣,已經暴露其不足之處。


普通話

The EMSD has taken remedial actions. It has taken LPG samples from nozzles at filling stations with a view to identifying the cause of the problem. Furthermore, it has actively talked with the five auto-LPG suppliers with a view to setting up a comprehensive system for monitoring auto-LPG quality. It will buy the equipment it needs to carry out tests. It will regularly test LPG samples from every one of the 59 filling stations, at least once a year. We hope the EMSD will carry out the measures mentioned above as soon as possible to make sure that no problems will arise in any link of the supply chain of auto-LPG. We hope it will no longer rely solely on LPG suppliers' self-regulation.


英語

機電署已經採取亡羊補牢措施,近期除了從加氣槍口取樣化驗,以確定這次事態成因,他們還積極與5個石油氣供應商謀求協議,以規定日後建立一個全面跟進的監管制度和機制,該署並會購置相關器材,定期抽查全港59個氣站的氣體樣本,每年最少一次。我們希望機電署能盡早落實上述安排,以確保石油氣的進口以至零售環節都安全無虞,徹底改變過往只靠業界自律的局面。


普通話

明報社評2010.01.05

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Mr. William Tsang

Lecturer, Hong Kong Community College, PolyU

http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?lang=eng&cms=112

袁振華博士

香港理工大學中文及雙語系講師

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