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Employment
management premises; and logistics, cargo and container handling areas. Enforcement is strengthened in the summer to protect outdoor workers from heatstroke.
In 2020, the department served 2,743 improvement notices on companies and other organisations, urging them to improve safety conditions promptly, and 361 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 2,136 convictions, resulting in penalties totalling $16.55 million. It also increased inspections of infection control measures at workplaces to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
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 produces work safety alerts in the form of animation videos to help the industry understand how some accidents happened and the preventive measures that can be taken to prevent recurrence. In 2020, the department held 694 courses, lectures and talks for over 48,200 employees.
The department also works with the OSHC, Construction Industry Council, employers' associations and workers' unions to promote the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders to various industries and to publicise heatstroke prevention at construction sites and other outdoor workplaces. In 2020, the department broadcast a new Announcement in the Public Interest to enhance awareness of reducing the health risks of standing at work.
Occupational Health Clinics
The department provides occupational health services to workers at its occupational health clinics in Kwun Tong and Fanling. It held 6,327 clinical consultations with workers in 2020.
Occupational Safety and Health Council
The OSHC fosters awareness of safety and health at work through training, promotion, consultancy, research and information services. In 2020, it produced a series of information packs on personal hygiene and workplace infection control measures for various industries to help combat COVID-19. It also increased the discount offered on its training courses for small and medium enterprises, and offered free training courses to the catering, retail, hotel and tourism sectors.
In 2020, the OSHC conducted over 1,000 seminars and training courses (both physical and online) for over 55,000 people.
Websites
Census and Statistics Department: www.censtatd.gov.hk
Continuing Education Fund: www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef
Employees Retraining Board: www.erb.org
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