This safety booklet is based on a two-part report which was first published in Green Cross Bi-monthly Journal of the Occupational Safety and Health Council. The writer of this article, Mr. Wong Wai Chi, Superintendent of Factory Inspector of the Labour Department, is a veteran safety professional who has accumulated more than 10 years’ experience on the safety use of gondolas. He has been leading a special team in the research and the analysis of causes attributed to gondola accidents recently. In 1990, the writer was assigned to Singapore for the study of governmental regulations and guidelines in the safety use of gondolas. The writer, based on his vast experience and professional knowledge, contributed the article on the safety use of gondolas. It is very rare to see that an article on such unique topic was presented with immense detail and in painstaking manner. This article was highly recommended by the Editor to those who have gondolas under their control.SMR Da ary INTRODUCTION The use of gondolas has been getting more and more popular in recent years. They are lifting machines designed to carry persons mainly for conducting external window cleaning work and building construction or maintenance work on high-rise buildings. However, over the past years, the use of these gondolas has caused a number of fatal accidents. In 1989, two gondola accidents occurred, resulted in the death of 2 workers. Again, in 1990, another gondola accident occurred which involved even double fatalities, and the case was widely reported in the media drawing serious concern from many quarters. Yet, a number of cases of failure of gondola followed in the same year and in 1991, although, fortunately, the injuries sustained by the workers was not too serious. The spate of these dangerous occurrences and fatal accidents has therefore been rather alarming and become a matter of serious concern for all parties involved. GONDOLA ACCIDENTS An analysis of the 30 gondola accidents, including 5 fatal ones, occurred in the past 6 years reveals that the majority of these accidents involved the failure of either the driving mechanism of the gondolas or the wire ropes suspending them. Other FE 3/93 2