Employment | 149
In general, the demand for foreign domestic helpers has increased over the past three decades. At the end of 2005, there were 223 200 such helpers in Hong Kong, an increase of 2.2 per cent over the number of 218 430 in 2004. About 52.9 per cent were from the Philippines and 43.4 per cent from Indonesia.
Occupational Safety and Health
The Labour Department seeks to improve safety and health at the workplace through legislation, law enforcement, promotion, education and training. Through the concerted efforts of all parties concerned, including employers, employees, contractors, safety practitioners and the
the Government, Hong Kong's safety performance has improved significantly.
Statistics
There were 44 267 occupational injuries in workplaces in 2005, a slight increase of 0.5 per cent over 44 025 cases in 2004, while the injury rate per thousand employees dropped slightly from 18.1 to 17.8, or 1.7 per cent.
The safety performance of the high-risk construction industry continued to improve, although it still had the highest number of fatalities and accident rate among all industries. The number of industrial accidents in the construction industry decreased from 3 833 in 2004 to 3 548 in 2005, down by 7.4 per cent. The accident rate per thousand workers dropped from 60.3 in 2004 to 59.9 in 2005, a decrease of 0.8 per cent.
In 2005, a total of 256 occupational disease cases were confirmed representing a 2 per cent rise from 251 cases in 2004 but a cumulative fall of 73 per cent from the peak at 948 cases in 1998. The most common occupational diseases were tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm, silicosis and occupational deafness.
Enforcement
The Labour Department focuses its inspections on high-risk or accident-prone industries and closely monitors organisations with poor safety records. Improvement notices or suspension notices are issued when necessary to secure a speedy rectification of irregularities, or to remove imminent risks to life and limb. In 2005, 153 suspension notices and 1 415 improvement notices were issued. The department also handled 1 821 prosecutions against employers, contractors and proprietors breaching the occupational safety and health legislation. The conviction rate was 83.8 per cent and fines totalled more than $13 million.
The Labour Department mounts special enforcement campaigns targeting high-risk work situations. The campaigns include working at height, scaffolding safety, tower crane safety, fire and chemical safety, lifting appliance safety, catering safety, and cargo and container handling. In 2005, the department conducted 14 special enforcement campaigns and 706 prosecutions were initiated. Altogether, 587 improvement notices and 94 suspension notices were issued.