ENG-2007 — Page 191

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issued and 10 prosecutions were initiated. In addition, the department worked closely with the Construction Industry Council and other bodies in the industry to formulate and implement measures to further enhance safety in the use of tower cranes.

Promotion and Education

In 2007, the department launched a variety of promotional campaigns and publicity drives to enhance occupational safety and health protection. The activities included seminars, safety forums, thematic talks, roving exhibitions, TV and radio announcements, radio programmes, publications on occupational safety and health, promoting the Occupational Safety Charter and Occupational Hygiene Charter, and formulating safety award schemes for the construction and the catering industries.

The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance requires mandatory basic safety training for people engaged in construction work and container handling. On satisfactory completion of their training programme, workers are given a certificate, commonly known as the Green Card. To revalidate the certificate, the worker has to attend a half-day refresher course every three years. By the end of 2007, over 917 000 people had obtained the Green Card for working at construction sites and container handling workplaces while some 526 000 workers had completed the half-day refresher course.

The Labour Department's Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre conducts training courses and talks to help workers better understand the requirements of occupational safety and health laws. In 2007, the centre organised over 800 such courses and talks for some 16 000 employees.

The department gives outreaching talks to the public as well as companies and organisations. In 2007, a total of 1 464 health talks were delivered and a series of booklets on safety and health at work in relation to common diseases affecting the working population was published.

Occupational Health Clinics

The Labour Department's Kwun Tong Occupational Health Clinic and Fanling Occupational Health Clinic provide clinical occupational health service for workers. in Hong Kong. In 2007, the two clinics conducted a total of 13 098 clinical consultations.

Occupational Safety and Health Council

The Occupational Safety and Health Council was established in 1988 to foster a safe and healthy working environment in Hong Kong through training, promotional, consultancy, research and information services.

The council regularly reviews and designs courses catering to the changing needs of society. In 2007, a total of 33 521 people attended 1 601 training courses organised for managers, supervisors and frontline workers. Special safety training courses were also conducted for minority groups. The council continues to participate in the Skills Upgrading Scheme to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) standards for stakeholders of industries under the Scheme.