| 4.1 |
The Occupational Safety and Health Branch 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 through the three-pronged strategy of inspection and enforcement, education and training, as well as publicity and promotion. More specifically, we achieve the objective by:
- providing a legislative framework to safeguard safety and health at work;
- enforcing compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (OSHO), the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (FIUO), the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Ordinance (BPVO) and their subsidiary regulations through inspection of workplaces to ensure that the requirements are complied with;
- investigating accidents and occupational health problems at workplaces and giving advice to employers and employees on how to reduce existing workplace hazards;
- offering advice to owners in the design and layout of factories and workplaces, and in the implementation of safety programmes in the factories/workplaces;
- providing to employers, employees and the general public appropriate information and advice to promote knowledge and understanding of occupational safety and health; and
- organising promotional programmes and training courses to enhance safety awareness of the workforce.
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| 4.2 |
OSHO protects employees’ safety and health at work generally in all branches of economic activities. It is a piece of 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. |
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| 4.3 |
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. |
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| 4.4 |
BPVO aims at regulating the standards and operation of boilers and pressure vessels, including steam boilers, steam receivers and air receivers. |
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Our Work and Achievements in 2017
Work Safety Performance |
| 4.5 |
Through the concerted efforts of all parties concerned, including employers, employees, contractors, safety practitioners, and the Government and public sector organisations, Hong Kong’s work safety performance has been improving. |
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| 4.6 |
The number of occupational injuries in all workplaces in 2017 stood at 35 631, representing a drop of 15.0% from 41 900 in 2008, while the injury rate per thousand employees decreased to 11.8, down by 25.5% when compared to 15.8 in 2008. The number of industrial accidents for all sectors went down to 11 077, representing 25.8% drop when compared to 14 932 in 2008. The accident rate per thousand workers for all sectors in 2008 and 2017 were 27.2 and 17.21 respectively. |
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| 4.7 |
In 2017, there were 3 902 industrial accidents in the construction industry, representing an increase of 28.7% when compared to 3 033 in 2008. The accident rate per thousand workers, however, decreased from 61.4 to 32.9, down by 46.4%. |
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Occupational Diseases |
| 4.8 |
In 2017, there were 304 cases of confirmed occupational disease (including monaural hearing loss), among which, occupational deafness, silicosis and tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm were the most common. |
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| 4.9 |
For more statistics on occupational safety and health (OSH), please visit the webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content10.htm.
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Key Indicators of Work |
| 4.10 |
Some key indicators of work of this programme area are shown in Figure 4.1. |
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Inspection and Enforcement |
| 4.11 |
To ensure 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 accidents. |
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| 4.12 |
A key element in enforcement is to give advice on the prevention of accidents. We conduct promotional visits to encourage employers to proactively adopt a self-regulatory approach in managing risks at the workplace and enforcement inspections to various workplaces to ensure that duty-holders have observed relevant statutory requirements stipulated in safety legislation. We have stepped up inspection and enforcement efforts to clamp down on unsafe acts. In 2017, we continued to place workplaces with poor safety performance under close surveillance. Improvement notices or suspension notices were issued when necessary to secure a speedy rectification of irregularities, or to remove imminent risks to lives. In 2017, we also conducted 20 special enforcement operations targeting specific workplace hazards or accident-prone workplaces, including new works safety; safety of repair, maintenance, alteration, and addition (RMAA) works; tunnel construction works safety; lift installation, repair and maintenance works safety; electrical safety; bamboo scaffolding safety; work safety for sea-based construction works; safety of waste management works; catering safety; logistic, cargo and container-handling safety as well as fire and chemical safety. In these 20 operations, a total of 19 211 workplaces were inspected, with 1 474 improvement notices and 371 suspension notices issued, and 1 367 prosecutions initiated. |
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| 4.13 |
We conduct independent investigation into complaints lodged by workers on unsafe conditions or malpractices in workplaces. In 2017, we handled 93 complaints and initiated three prosecutions arising from investigation of these cases. We also enhanced the intelligence reporting system on unsafe RMAA works with various strategic partners. In 2017, a total of 1 172 complaint/referral cases were received through the system and other channels. As a result of the follow-up inspections on these cases, we issued 341 suspension/improvement notices and took out 172 prosecutions. We had also established a similar referral mechanism with the Housing Department. In 2017, we received through the mechanism a total of 4 669 notifications of high risk RMAA works in public housing estates and followed up on these referrals. In 2017, the Labour Department (LD) produced an OSH poster/notice featuring LD’s complaint hotline in Chinese, English and six other languages of ethnic minorities, viz. Hindi, Indonesian, Nepali, Tagalog, Thai and Urdu, to strengthen the promotion of current complaint channel to construction workers in order to improve the safety condition at work. |
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| OSH Complaint Hotline Publicity Poster/Notice |
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| 4.14 |
From April to September, LD stepped up its enforcement, while enhancing publicity on prevention of heat stroke at work during the hot weather, targeting outdoor workplaces with a higher risk of heat stroke, such as construction sites, outdoor cleansing workplaces and container yards. In this special enforcement campaign, we conducted a total of 27 928 surprise inspections, issued 16 warnings and one improvement notice. |
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| 4.15 |
The Commissioner for Labour, as the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Authority, recognises competent inspection bodies to assess and inspect new pressure equipment during manufacturing. In addition, we 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 2017, 562 applications for certificates of competency were processed, with 550 certificates issued/endorsed. We also advised the Fire Services Department on matters related to the approval and preliminary inspections of pressurised cylinders and storage installations for compressed gas. |
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| 4.16 |
As at the end of 2017, LD recorded a total of 228 270 workplaces, including 36 531 construction sites. In the year, 140 868 inspections were conducted under OSHO and FIUO and their subsidiary regulations. As a result, 31 558 warnings and 3 613 suspension or improvement notices were issued. Besides, 4 708 inspections were made under BPVO. 2 924 warnings were given and 17 prohibition orders on the use and operation of boilers and pressure vessels were issued. We also carried out 16 750 and 2 339 investigations on work accidents and suspected occupational diseases/occupational health problems respectively in the year. |
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| Noise assessment conducted by an occupational hygienist in the ramp |
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Education and Training |
| 4.17 |
We provide training-related services to employers, employees and relevant parties to foster a culture of respect for OSH among the working population. There are three categories of such services, namely provision of training courses, recognition of mandatory safety training (MST) courses and registration of safety officers and safety auditors. |
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| 4.18 |
In 2017, we conducted 536 safety and health training courses related to relevant legislation for 5 023 employees and 268 tailor-made talks for another 9 471. We also recognised eight mandatory basic safety training courses (commonly known as “green card” courses) for construction work, nine MST courses for operators of cranes, one MST course for confined spaces operation, two MST courses for operators of loadshifting machine and one MST course for gas welding. LD has in place a system to monitor these MST courses to ensure that courses are conducted in line with the approval conditions. We also continued to implement improvement measures of the MST system. |
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| 4.19 |
In 2017, we registered 231 persons as safety officers and 32 as safety auditors. As at the end of the year, there were 3 844 safety officers with valid registration and 1 292 registered safety auditors. Furthermore, a total of 497 applications for renewal or revalidation of registration as safety officers had been approved in 2017. |
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| 4.20 |
Occupational health education raises employers’ and employees’ awareness of the prevention of occupational health hazards and occupational diseases. In 2017, a total of 1 313 health talks on various occupational health issues were organised for over 43 000 participants. Apart from organising public health talks, we also provided outreaching health talks at the workplaces of individual organisations. These health talks covered various occupations with more than 40 different topics such as “Occupational Health for Office Workers”, “Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries”, “Occupational Health for Cleansing Workers”, “Prevention of Lower Limb Disorders” and “Occupational Health in Catering Industry”. |
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| Occupational health messages promoted to employers and employees during outreach health talks held in various companies and organisations |
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| 4.21 |
LD had uploaded the “Work Safety Alert” and “Systemic Safety Alert” on its website respectively to help raise the safety awareness of employers, contractors and workers and to remind the Registered Safety Officers and Registered Safety Auditors in exercising their statutory functions to advise their employers/clients to fulfill their safety responsibilities and render the necessary assistance. The Work Safety Alert summarised recent fatal and serious work accidents, and highlighted general safety precautionary measures whereas the Systemic Safety Alert provided accident prevention measures arising from the major systemic problems. |
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Publicity and Promotion |
| 4.22 |
We organised a series of promotion campaigns in 2017 aiming at heightening safety awareness among employers and employees and cultivating a positive safety culture at the workplaces, some jointly with relevant stakeholders such as the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC), trade associations, workers’ unions and other government departments. |
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| 4.23 |
The Catering Industry Safety Award Scheme and the Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme were organised again in the year. The two schemes were well received by the industries. |
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| Catering Industry Safety Award Scheme - Award Presentation Ceremony |
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| Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme - Award Presentation Ceremony |
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| 4.24 |
Accidents in RMAA works have become a source of growing concern in recent years and the volume of RMAA works continued to increase. In 2017, LD, in collaboration with OSHC, continued the two-year publicity campaign to remind contractors and workers to pay special attention to safety while carrying out RMAA works, electrical work and working at height which was launched in 2016. Other major publicity activities included broadcasting Announcements in the Public Interest on television/radio/mobile media, staging roving exhibitions, publishing feature articles in newspapers and on the LD website, publishing leaflets and disseminating safety messages to contractors, employers and employees through various means. In 2017, we in collaboration with OSHC produced safety promotional videos on “Safety Helmet with Chin Strap” for broadcast on the website of LD and OSHC, the Housing Channel of Housing Authority, district job centres and Social Welfare Department offices. |
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| 4.25 |
In 2017, LD and OSHC continued the “Portable Residual Current Device Sponsorship Scheme for SMEs” for the construction, RMAA, electrical/mechanical engineering, real estate maintenance management & servicing and repairing of motor vehicles and motorcycles sectors to subsidise their purchase of portable residual current device that met the safety standard to enhance electrical work safety. As at the end of 2017, 540 applications were received with 482 approved, benefiting over 6 900 workers. |
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| 4.26 |
LD continued to operate jointly with OSHC the sponsorship scheme for Work-at-height Fall Arresting Equipment for Renovation and Maintenance Work for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to encourage them to use proper safety equipment. |
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| 4.27 |
LD and OSHC continued with the scheme on RMAA safety accreditation in 2017. It enhances the OSH standard of the industry through the auditing of safety management system, training and subsidising SMEs to purchase fall arresting equipment and related facilities. The Employees’ Compensation Insurance Residual Scheme Bureau undertook to offer insurance premium discount to accredited contractors, and thus provides financial incentives for enterprises to continuously improve their occupational safety performance. |
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| 4.28 |
We also collaborated with relevant organisations including OSHC, Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board, Occupational Deafness Compensation Board, employers’ associations, trade unions and community groups in promoting occupational health through a variety of activities such as carnivals, occupational health award ceremony, workplace hygiene charter and promotional visits. Moreover, we promoted the prevention of common work-related diseases, such as musculoskeletal disorders which are common among service and clerical personnel and manual workers. In 2017, we continued to collaborate with OSHC, Department of Health and trade unions to promote healthy living among professional drivers. |
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| 4.29 |
We also stepped up publicity on the prevention of heat stroke at work through a multitude of activities such as organising public and outreaching health talks, distributing publications, printing promotional posters, broadcasting educational videos on mobile advertising media, and issuing press releases. During the year, we collaborated with OSHC and relevant workers’ unions to promote prevention of heat stroke at work among professional drivers. |
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| 4.30 |
In light of the work of many employees in the retail and catering industries involves prolonged standing, LD augmented our promotional visits in 2017 to meet the management of major chain corporations of these two industries and discuss with them on how to formulate more appropriate policies to reduce health risk of employees caused by prolonged standing. In addition, LD sent letters to more than 400 retail and catering companies to call on the management to take preventive measures to protect the OSH of employees whose work involves prolonged standing. |
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| 4.31 |
In 2017, we published 10 new occupational safety and health publications, including “Guidance Notes on Safety and Health of Hand-dug Tunnelling Work”, “Eye Care at Work”, “Safety Hints for Construction Workers”, “Risk Assessment for the Prevention of Health Hazards of Prolonged Standing”, “Guidelines for Good Occupational Hygiene Practice in a Workplace – Lighting” and “Complaint Hotline” poster, etc. Moreover, we also published various publications in languages of ethnic minorities for promoting work safety and health. |
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| Latest publications on occupational safety and health |
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| Occupational safety and health publications for ethnic minorities |
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| 4.32 |
To promote safety awareness of the industry in operating boilers and pressure vessels, we organised a seminar jointly with OSHC, professional bodies and major industry stakeholders in the theme of “Greener HK with Boilers and Pressure Vessels” in 2017. We revised the “Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Thermal Oil Heaters” and distributed around 1 600 publications and leaflets regarding registration and safe operation of pressure equipment. |
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| 4.33 |
In 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Branch handled 15 635 enquiries, advising on various safety and health matters. Furthermore, the Occupational Safety and Health Centre provides information and advisory services to workers and employers. |
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| 4.34 |
LD collaborated with property management sector to promote RMAA work safety. A Task Force was formed to step up the promotion of work-at-height safety to stakeholders including contractors and workers on the use of suitable working platforms instead of ladders for working above ground and the use of safety helmets with chin straps. In April 2017, LD in collaboration with OSHC launched a new “Safety Helmets with Y-type Chin Straps Sponsorship Scheme for SMEs” to subsidise SMEs of the construction industry to purchase safety helmets which conform to safety standards with a view to reducing head injury during a fall. As at end of 2017, 536 applications were received with 459 approved, benefiting over 7 100 workers. |
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| 4.35 |
Using straight ladder or A-ladder for work-at-height carries a lot of risk. In the past, there were several fatal accidents which involved workers falling from these ladders. In order to enhance the safety awareness of employers and workers in work-at-height, LD in collaboration with OSHC launched a new “Enhanced Light-duty Working Platform Sponsorship Scheme for SMEs” in September 2017 to subsidise SMEs to purchase enhanced step platforms and hop-up platforms for work-above-ground. The enhanced versions of step platforms and hop-up platforms are designed to facilitate workers working in restrictive environment which are more conform to the actual needs of workers. As at end of 2017, 110 applications were received with 30 approved, benefiting over 450 workers. |
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| 4.36 |
LD collaborated with OSHC to ride on Home Affairs Department’s community platforms to promote RMAA works safety particularly work-at-height safety, to owners’ corporations, property owners and tenants, etc. |
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Clinical Occupational Health Services |
| 4.37 |
LD runs occupational health clinics in Kwun Tong and Fanling, providing clinical consultations, medical treatment as well as occupational health education and counselling services for workers suffering from work-related and occupational diseases. Workplaces of the patients are inspected if necessary to identify and evaluate occupational health hazards in the work environment. |
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| 4.38 |
In 2017, 11 124 clinical consultations were rendered. Moreover, patient support groups were organised to help patients achieve more desirable rehabilitation progress through health talks, experience sharing and peer support. |