ENG-1986 — Page 118

EMPLOYMENT

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Boards and Prostheses and Surgical Appliance Boards under the Employees' Compensa- tion Ordinance.

The Occupational Health Division's laboratory carries out analytical tests on biological samples from workers and other environmental samples taken during site visits.

Employees' Compensation

The Employees' Compensation Division of the Labour Department administers the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordin- ance. The division ensures that injured employees and dependants of deceased employees covered by the Employees' Compensation Ordinance obtain from their employers, without undue delay, compensation 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 Compensation 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 assessment boards at eight major hospitals in Hong Kong. In 1986, Ordinary Assessment Boards convened 482 sessions and completed assessment of 15 616 cases referred to them by the Commissioner for Labour and 1032 review cases. Special Assessment Boards convened seven sessions and completed assessment of seven cases referred to them by the Ordinary Assessment Boards and one review case.

Compensation levels under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Pneumo- coniosis (Compensation) Ordinance were increased by about 23 per cent with effect from January 1, 1986, to take into account changes in wage levels since their last revision in 1983. The Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance was also amended to provide greater flexibility in the payment of compensation to the dependants of a pneumoconiotic who dies from a cause other than pneumoconiosis.

Owing to a gradual decline in the last few years in the number and size of claims for compensation from the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund, it has been possible to reduce the Fund's income by way of levy substantially. The value of construction works and quarry products subject to levy was raised from $0.25 million to $1 million with effect from June 1, 1985 and the rate of levy was reduced from 0.2 per cent to 0.15 per cent with effect from January 6, 1986.