EMPLOYMENT
membership is drawn from employers and employees, academic and professional fields, and from the government.
The council aims to promote a safer and healthier working environment through education and training, promotion of the use of modern technology, dissemination of technical knowledge, provision of consultancy services, and encouragement of co- operation and communication among government and non-government bodies having such common goals.
Under the council are five functional committees and eight industry-based safety and health committees. The five functional committees deal with publicity, staffing, finance, research and general matters. The eight industry-based committees cover the construction, textiles, plastics, shipbuilding and shiprepairing, metalware, electronics, catering, transport and physical distribution industries.
The council and its committees are serviced by its own staff which has an establishment of 22. During the year, it organised a variety of promotional and educational activities, conducted consultancy and testing services, as well as sponsored research projects, to enhance public awareness of the importance of occupational safety and health.
Employees' Compensation
The Labour Department administers the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance. The department ensures that injured em- ployees-and dependants of deceased employees covered by the Employees' Compensa- tion Ordinance obtain compensation from their employers in respect of injuries or deaths caused by accidents arising out of and in the course of employment, or by occupational diseases. It also ensures that persons covered by the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance obtain compensation as soon as possible from the Pneumoconiosis Com- pensation Fund which is financed by a levy imposed on the construction and quarry industries.
Under the two-tier Employees' Compensation Assessment Board system, employees with work-related injuries which are likely to result in permanent incapacity are assessed by the boards at eight major hospitals in Hong Kong. In 1990, Ordinary Assessment Boards convened 548 sessions and completed assessment of 18 731 cases referred to them by the Commissioner for Labour and 1 286 review cases! 'One Special Assessment Board was convened and completed assessment of one case referred to them by the Ordinary Assessment Board.
The compensation level under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Pneu- moconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance was increased by about 23 per cent with effect from January 1, 1990, to take into account changes in wage levels since the last revision in 1988. The Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Regulations were also amended to set the minimum amount to be considered as monthly earnings at $1,040.
The Employees' Compensation Insurance Levies Ordinance was enacted in May 1990. This imposes a two per cent levy on the gross premium of every employees' compensation insurance policy issued by an insurer on or after July 1, 1990. The levy is used for funding the Occupational Safety and Health Council and the proposed Employees' Compensation Assistance Scheme.
In 1990, 119 pneumoconiosis cases were awarded compensation amounting to $16,892,288. The Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board allocated $2 million to
117