EMPLOYMENT
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workers in December. Seminars were also organised by the construction, plastics and ship building and ship repairing industries safety sub-committees for workers in these industries, while the construction industry safety sub-committee organised a safety award scheme to promote safety awareness among people connected with the construction industry.
Throughout the year, the inspectorate's Industrial Safety Training Centre provided safety training courses for workers from various industries and for technical students. In conjunction with the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the centre organised for the fifth successive year an evening course, and for the first time a part-time day-release programme, leading to a certificate of proficiency in industrial safety.
Pressure Equipment
The Pressure Equipment Unit of the Labour Department enforces the requirements of the Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance and the Gasholders Examination Ordinance for ensuring the safe use and operation of all equipment covered by the ordinances. This includes steam boilers, compressed air receivers, steam receivers, steam containers, and gasholders for storage of Town Gas. The unit gives industry, the fire services and other government departments technical advice relating to pressure equipment, especially those covered by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance. It has also introduced a short training course for operators of electrically heated ironing boilers.
The unit conducts examinations for boiler attendants for the issue of certificates of competency and approves qualified engineers in the private sector as appointed examiners under the Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance. These examiners are authorised to approve the material, design and fabrication techniques of all pressure equipment under the ordinance and they undertake periodic inspections of the equipment.
Occupational Health and Hygiene
The Occupational Health Division of the Labour Department provides an advisory service to the government and the public on matters concerning the health of workers and the hygiene of the workplace, and ensures the observance of occupational health standards and practices. It works to maintain and improve the physical and mental well-being of workers and to protect them against any health hazard arising from their employment.
A prime responsibility is to investigate notified occupational diseases and potential health hazards reported by the factory inspectorate and to determine preventive action. During the year, surveys were conducted in various industries to identify areas of possible occupational hazard.
The division carries out the medical examination of personnel exposed to ionizing radiation, government divers and compressed air workers. It also deals with cases of silicosis under the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance. The division's nurses handle medical clearance for employees' compensation cases whereas its occupational health officers are appointed as members of assessment boards under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance.
The Occupational Health Division's laboratory carries out analytical tests on biological samples from workers, such as for the concentration of silica. It also assists in conducting analyses for the air pollution monitoring programme in Hong Kong.
Employees' Compensation
The Employees' Compensation Division of the Labour Department administers the Em- ployees' Compensation Ordinance and the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance.