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The work safety and health performance of the catering industry improved significantly from 1999 to 2006 as a result of the joint efforts of the Government, employers, employees and concerned parties in the industry. The catering industry recorded 12,549 industrial accidents in 1999 and the number dropped to 9,294 in 2006, representing a drop of 25.9%.
Speaking at an award presentation ceremony of the Catering Industry Safety Award Scheme today (February 23), the Commissioner for Labour, Mrs Cherry Tse, said the Labour Department recorded 6,676 industrial accidents in the catering industry in the first three quarters of 2007, down 4.3% from the figure of 6,977 in the same period of 2006.
The accident rate per 1,000 employees in the first three quarters of 2007 stood at 43.9, representing a drop of 7.8% from 47.6 in the same period of 2006. Mrs Tse was delighted to see the downward trend in work injuries of the catering industry.
"Although the work safety performance in the catering industry continued to improve over the years, we should not take things lightly. With the prosperity of the economy in recent years, the number of catering establishments and people engaged in the industry are expected to increase. Therefore we should continue to work together with the relevant stakeholders in promoting work safety culture in the industry and try our best to improve the work safety and health performance of the industry," she said.
"The Government will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach comprising legislation and enforcement, training and education, as well as publicity and promotion in a bid to raise the safety and health awareness of employees in the catering industry," she continued.
However, it is worth noting that the number of work injuries in the catering industry has topped all trades since 2000. According to the Labour Department's statistics, the major causes of accidents in the catering industry included "injured by hand tool", "contact with hot surface or substance" and "slip, trip or fall on same level".
Hence, aside from establishing a good workplace management system to improve the work environment, the proper use of personal protective equipment to prevent the above categories of accidents from occurring is equally essential.
"In light of the situation, the Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council jointly launched a 'Cut Resistant Gloves and Slip Resistant Shoes Sponsorship Scheme' in October last year to sponsor small and medium-sized catering establishments to purchase cut resistant gloves and slip resistant shoes.
"The scheme aims to provide a subsidy to the establishments for the purchase of appropriate equipment with a view to change the work practice of employees and achieve the ultimate aim of fostering a safety culture in the industry," Mrs Tse said.
Mrs Tse said she believed that with the concerted efforts of the government, employers, employees and relevant stakeholders in implementing all preventive measures, the occupational safety and health performance in the catering industry would surely sustain its rising trend.
The Catering Industry Safety Award Scheme has been co-organised by the Labour Department, the Occupational Safety and Health Council, the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board and stakeholders in the trade since 1999. Entering its ninth year, the event has drawn participation from 227 eligible catering establishments. A total of 180 qualified management staff have been nominated for the supervisor award. Both figures were record highs.
In addition, the newly introduced "Safety Slogan Competition" has also attracted a total of 3,141 participants from the catering industry, the public and students. These impressive numbers of participants reflect the fact that the safety culture of the catering industry has spread to all strata of society.
Ends/Saturday, February 23, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:03
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