ENG-2017 — Page 170

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Employment

Inspection and Enforcement

The department inspects workplaces regularly to ensure compliance with occupational safety and health laws, particularly in high-risk industries and work processes such as work-at-height activities, and at organisations with poor safety records. Special enforcement operations target workplaces and trades which tend to be risk-prone, such as new construction sites; repair, maintenance, alteration and addition works sites; waste management premises; logistics, cargo and container handling areas, and food and beverage services. Enforcement is strengthened in the summer to protect outdoor workers from heatstroke.

In 2017, the department served 2,790 improvement notices on companies and other organisations, urging them to improve safety conditions promptly, and 823 suspension notices to stop those work activities or the use of plant or substances that posed imminent risks of death or serious bodily injury to employees. The department secured 2,256 convictions, resulting in penalties totalling $23.78 million.

Promotion and Education

The Labour Department works with the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC), other government departments, major trade associations and labour unions to raise awareness of Occupational safety and health and the relevant laws among employers and employees in different industries. It promotes the Occupational Safety Charter, which urges employers and employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment at their workplaces, and organises safety award schemes for the construction and catering industries. In 2017, the department held 2,162 courses, lectures and talks for some 70,800 employees.

The department also works with the OSHC, Construction Industry Council, employers' associations and workers' unions to promote the prevention of lower limb musculoskeletal disorders to industries such as catering and retail services, and to publicise heatstroke prevention measures at construction sites and other outdoor workplaces.

Occupational Health Clinics

The department provides occupational health services to workers at its occupational health clinics in Kwun Tong and Fanling. it held 11,124 clinical consultations with workers in 2017.

Occupational Safety and Health Council

The OSHC encourages safety and health at work through training, promotion, consultancy, research and information services. To minimise the risk of head injuries due to falls from heights, the OSHC and the department in 2017 launched two sponsorship schemes, on safety helmets and light work platforms, for small and medium enterprises to suitably equip employees who work above the ground.

The OSHC held 2,074 courses on occupational safety and health for 44,154 trainees. The programmes are accredited within the Qualifications Framework, ensuring quality training for safety management personnel. To meet market needs, new courses were rolled out to strengthen the safety and health training of front-line supervisors in performing daily duties.

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