EMPLOYMENT
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In the past few years, the demand for foreign domestic helpers has increased steadily. In 1996, there were 164 299 such helpers in Hong Kong, representing an increase of 4.63 per cent compared with 157 026 in 1995. About 80 per cent of these domestic helpers were citizens of the Philippines.
Employment Agencies
The Labour Department's Employment Agencies Administration enforces Part XII of the Employment Ordinance and the Employment Agency Regulations monitoring the operation of employment agencies through licensing. It issued 1062 licences in 1996.
Employment Outside Hong Kong
The External Employment Service of the Labour Department administers the Contracts for Employment Outside Hong Kong Ordinance in safeguarding the interests of local employees engaged to work outside Hong Kong for foreign employers. All such employment contracts involving manual workers, or non-manual employees with monthly wages not exceeding $20,000, must be attested by the Commissioner for Labour. The department attested 16 contracts in 1996.
Industrial Safety
The Factory Inspectorate of the Labour Department enforces the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and its subsidiary regulations. This provides for the safety and health of workers in factories, catering and cargo-handling establishments, building and engineering construction sites and other industrial undertakings. Advice and assistance are given to management on ways of providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. The inspectorate also investigates industrial accidents and dangerous incidents.
Following a comprehensive review on industrial safety in Hong Kong, a new Occupational Safety and Health Branch was created in the Labour Department in 1996 with two distinct functions: occupational safety and occupational health. Besides strengthening its safety and health promotion and enforcement programme, the Factory Inspectorate responsible for occupational safety also assists in the formulation of safety management legislation and regulations.
The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance was amended in July to empower the Commissioner for Labour to issue improvement notice and suspension notice. The notices are issued to proprietors of industrial undertaking and contractors to rectify breaches of safety legislation within a specified period, or suspend immediately any hazardous process or use of dangerous equipment that may cause an imminent risk of serious bodily injury to workers.
A new Occupational Safety Charter was launched in September with active participation of worker unions, employer associations and professional bodies. It affirms the rights of employees to work in a safe and healthy environment and the employers' obligation to reduce the employees' exposure to risks of injury or ill health.
A new Occupational Safety and Health Bill was introduced into the Legislative Council in December. It aims to protect the safety and health of non-industrial sector employees at work.