CHAPTER 4

SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK

The Programme of Safety and Health at Work

4.1 The Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the Labour Department is responsible for the promotion and regulation of safety and health at work. The objective of the Programme of Safety and Health at Work is to ensure that risks to people's safety and health at work are properly managed and reduced to the minimum by legislation, education and promotion. More specifically, we achieve the objective by:

4.2 The principal legislation for safety and health at work includes the OSHO, the FIUO, and the BPVO.

4.3 With few exceptions, the OSHO protects employees' safety and health at work in practically all branches of economic activities. It is basically an enabling legislation that empowers the Commissioner for Labour to make regulations prescribing standards for general working environment as well as specific safety and health aspects at work. The Occupational Safety and Health Regulation made under the OSHO sets down some basic requirements for accident prevention, fire precaution, workplace environment and hygiene, first aid and manual handling operations.

4.4 The FIUO regulates safety and health at work in industrial undertakings, which include factories, construction sites, cargo and container handling areas, as well as catering establishments.

4.5 The BPVO aims at regulating the standards and operation of equipment such as boilers, pressure vessels, including thermal oil heaters, steam receivers, steam containers, air receivers and pressurised cement tanks mounted on trucks or trailers.

Our Work and Achievements in 2002

Continuous Improvement in Safety Performance

4.6 Hong Kong's occupational safety and health performance continued to improve in 2002, with notable improvement in the construction industry.

4.7 A total of 47 023 occupational injuries (Note 2), including 210 fatal cases, occurred in 2002, representing a drop of 12.5 per cent when compared to the figures of 2001. Among these occupational injuries, there were 22 453 industrial accidents, decreased by 21.3 per cent in comparison with that of 2001. In particular, the accident figure for the construction industry has dropped significantly by 32.2 per cent.Figures 4.1~4.5

Note 2: Occupational injuries (both industrial and non-industrial) are those injuries arising from work accidents, resulting in death or incapacity for work of over three consecutive days, and reported under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance.

Key Indicators of Work

4.8 Some key indicators of work of this programme area are shown in Figure 4.6.

Legislative Improvements

4.9 In 2002, we amended the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations to prohibit the employment of persons under 16 years of age working on any woodworking machine with a view to complying with the International Labour Convention No. 182: The Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999. We also extended the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Officers and Safety Supervisors) Regulations to cover the container handling industry and revised provisions regarding the qualifications, duties and revalidation of Registered Safety Officers. We brought into operation the provision to implement a safety management system in specified industrial undertakings and the requirements on training and certification of operators of certain loadshifting machines. In April 2002, the Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation was enacted to protect the safety and health of employees who use display screen equipment for prolonged period of time.

Law Enforcement

4.10 To secure safety and health at work, we inspect workplaces, monitor health hazards, investigate work accidents and occupational diseases, register and inspect boilers and pressure equipment and advise on measures to control hazards or prevent recurrences.

4.11 A key element in enforcement is to advise on prevention of accidents. We conducted special promotional visits to encourage employers to adopt a self-regulatory approach in managing risk at the workplace. A number of special blitz operations and campaigns were also organised on the safety of work at height, scaffold, container handling, gas welding and flame cutting, fire and chemical, and plant and machinery.

4.12 We continued to target at establishments with poor safety performance for close surveillance. Improvement notices or suspension notices are issued to secure a speedy rectification of irregularities, or to remove imminent risk to lives and limbs. Many of these companies, especially those in the construction industry, have shown significant improvements in their safety performance. In view of the public concern about the health and safety of cleansing workers employed by government contractors, a special campaign was mounted to step up the inspection of cleansing work in government properties in order to ensure compliance with relevant legislative requirements.

4.13 The Commissioner for Labour, as the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Authority, recognises competent inspection bodies to assess and inspect new pressure equipment during manufacturing. As at the end of 2002, there was a total of 33 appointed examiners and six recognised inspection bodies. We also conduct examinations, monitor courses for training of competent persons and issue certificates of competency to qualified candidates as competent persons for various types of boilers and steam receivers. In 2002, 740 candidates were examined, of whom 603 were awarded certificates of competency. We also advise the Fire Services Department on approval and preliminary inspections of pressurised cylinders and storage installations for compressed gas.

4.14 As at 31 December 2002, a total of 149 798 workplaces, including 12 620 construction sites, were recorded. In 2002, 131 419 inspections were conducted under the OSHO and the FIUO, while 6 444 inspections were made under the BPVO. 37 544 warnings were issued by Occupational Safety Officers while 4 389 warnings were given under the BPVO. Altogether, 2 045 suspension or improvement notices were issued. We also carried out 12 821 accident investigations and investigated 3 336 suspected occupational diseases in the year. Among the suspected occupational diseases, 364 cases were confirmed. Figures 4.7~4.9

Safety Training and Occupational Health Education

4.15 We provide training-related services to help industry reduce occupational injuries. Such services are divided into three broad categories, namely training courses, accreditation of external training providers and registration of safety officers and safety auditors.

4.16 In 2002, we conducted 565 training courses on safety legislation for 4 782 participants and 241 tailor-made safety briefing sessions for 8 550 employees. We also accredited 21 mandatory basic safety training courses for the construction and the container-handling industries. As at the end of 2002, more than 548 000 persons have completed the training. We also accredited 13 confined spaces safety training courses, 12 loadshifting machinery safety training courses and 16 gas welding and flame cutting safety training courses.

4.17 In 2002, 178 applicants were registered as safety officers while 145 applicants were registered as safety auditors. As at the end of 2002, there were 2 425 persons on the register of safety officers and 490 persons on the register of safty auditors.

4.18 Occupational health education is an important strategy for the control of occupational health hazards and prevention of occupational diseases. Apart from the conventional way of organising health talks at our own premises, we have also developed outreaching services for occupational health education by delivering talks at individual companies or organisations. In 2002, we delivered 2 372 health talks.

Safety Promotion

4.19 To inculcate a safety culture and to enhance safety awareness, we organised various promotional activities in 2002, some in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Council, trade associations, workers' unions and other government departments.

4.20 Under the Customer Service Teams Project, volunteers made 14 000 visits to small and medium-sized enterprises to introduce the OSHO and promote safety management concepts.

4.21 The well-received Catering Industry Safety Award Scheme and the Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme were organised again in the year. Campaigns were also launched to promote and publicise the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation, the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Loadshifting Machinery) Regulation, the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Gas Welding and Flame Cutting) Regulation and the safety of working at height.

4.22 The Occupational Safety Charter was jointly launched with the Occupational Safety and Health Council in 1996 to promote the spirit of 'shared responsibility' among employers and employees in workplace safety and health. It sets out a safety management framework for employers and employees to work together to create a safe and healthy working environment. By the end of 2002, 674 organisations, including public utilities companies, industrial and non-industrial establishments, construction companies, unions and associations, have subscribed to the Occupational Safety Charter.

Publicity and Advisory Service

4.23 In 2002, 24 new occupational safety and health publications were published, including five codes of practice that provide practical guidance respectively on safety management, control of air impurities from chemical substances, safe use of tower cranes, safe operation of electric steam boilers and safety on manual electric arc welding. Some of the new publications are listed in Figure 4.10.

4.24 In 2002, we handled 32 377 enquiries, advising on various occupational safety and health matters. One-stop information and advisory services are provided to workers and employers at the Occupational Safety and Health Centre.

Medical and Clinical Services

4.25 Our medical and nursing staff at the Kwun Tong and Sham Shui Po Occupational Health Clinics provide clinical consultations, medical treatment as well as occupational health education and counselling services for workers suffering from work-related diseases. The workplaces of the patients are inspected if necessary to identify and evaluate occupational health hazards in the work environment. We also assess the medical fitness for work of radiation workers, aviation personnel and government employees exposed to specific occupational health hazards.

4.26 In 2002, 9 679 clinical consultations were rendered, and 2 463 medical examinations and assessments performed. Ten patient support groups were organised to promote patients' treatment compliance and sustainability in good work practices through health talks, experience sharing and peer support.Figure 4.11.

Improved Application of Information Technology

4.27 In 2002, we have improved our electronic databank that contained information on occupational accidents, safety and health legislation, legal advice and reference materials. We are also developing an Occupational Safety and Health Management Information System to facilitate communication and information sharing in the Headquarters and regional offices.