ENG-1996 — Page 174

EMPLOYMENT

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Occupational Health and Hygiene

The Occupational Health Service of the Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the Labour Department provides an advisory service to the public and the Government on worker health and workplace hygiene, and complements the Factory Inspectorate in supervising health standards and practices in the industrial sector. The Occupational Hygiene Division's major responsibility is to investigate notified occupational diseases and potential health hazards reported by the Factory Inspectorate and to determine preventive action. Surveys and epidemiological studies on health and hygiene conditions were completed. The mercury hazard in school dental clinics, use of azo-dyes in the dyeing industry, solvents in toy factories and petrol filling stations, use of ethylene oxide gas in hospitals, microwaves in the catering industry and the handling of chemicals in water treatment plants were all surveyed.

An enquiry service is available to the public on occupational health and hygiene problems. Talks on health education were arranged on request. A series of booklets and codes of practice on occupational health and hygiene have been published for the promotion of occupational health and protection of people at work.

The Occupational Medicine Division undertakes medical examination on persons exposed to hazardous work such as ionising radiation and government employees engaged in diving, asbestos work and pest control. It runs an occupational health clinic providing consultative services to workers with work-related illnesses and provides medical support services to decompression sickness patients treated in the decompression chamber. It also handles medical clearance for employees' compensation cases. Its occupational health officers are appointed to various medical assessment boards.

Occupational Safety and Health Council

The Occupational Safety and Health Council aims to promote a safer and healthier working environment through education and training; promotion on 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 with similar goals. The council, a statutory body, is financed by a levy on the premium of employees' compensation insurance policies in Hong Kong.

The council continued to inculcate the safety culture in various sectors of the community in line with the recommendations made in the Consultation Paper on the Review of Industrial Safety in Hong Kong. During 1996, it introduced initiatives in providing safety and health training for managers, supervisors and workers in establishing effective and efficient safety and health management programmes. These courses include safety auditing, safety and health for small business, ergonomics, occupational hygiene, and the inspection and examination of boilers and pressure equipment. The council also produced videos, CD-ROM and other teaching materials to help industries train their workers. Tailor-made courses were also offered to public utilities, building contractors, hotels, manufacturing firms, hospitals, building management companies, etc. A total of 10 000 persons attended the council's courses in 1996.