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Local catering establishments are invited to take part in the Catering Industry Safety Award Scheme jointly organised by the Labour Department, the Occupational Safety and Health Council and eight co-organisers. Entries will be accepted from today (August 7) to August 21.
The scheme was launched in 1999 to enhance the occupational safety and health awareness of employers, employees and stakeholders in the industry. It also aims to instil a good occupational safety and health culture in the industry and among the general public, and to award catering establishments, supervisors and workers who have good records in work safety and health.
All participating establishments must hold a valid full licence issued by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Their licences should not have been suspended by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for any reason in the past 12 months preceding the preliminary assessment and until the announcement of the competition results. They should have no record of serious or fatal accidents or suspension notices issued by the Labour Department in the 12 months preceding the enrolment deadline and before the announcement of the assessment results.
Entries will be divided into seven sub-categories: Chinese restaurants; restaurants (non-Chinese); hotels with kitchen; fast food shops serving Western food; fast food shops serving both Chinese and general categories of food; cafˆms; and light refreshments eating places and canteens.
There will be a Group Safety Performance Award for groups with good overall safety and health performance and that have entered the competition with more than one outlet in the same sub-category of "catering establishment".
To commend single-outlet catering establishments (not being operated by a group) which have entered the competition, a Safety Awareness Award will be presented to single-outlet catering establishments which have undergone the preliminary assessment and do not win any other awards in the competition.
Each sub-category of catering establishment and the Group Safety Performance Award will have gold, silver, bronze and merit prizes. Winners of the Safety Awareness Award, Supervisor Award and Safe Worker Award will also be presented with prizes.
Assessment will take place between late August and early October. Assessment criteria will cover the physical conditions of the workplaces such as the overall layout of the kitchen; passageways, exit and fire fighting installations; stacking and storage of materials, equipment and apparatus; manual lifting and handling; machinery, equipment and hand tools; and electricity and personal protection equipment.
Various aspects of the safety management system will also be assessed. These include safety policy, organisation and training; risk assessment; safety rules and regulations; inspection of hazardous condition and incident investigation; emergency preparedness and safety promotion.
The organisers will also launch a safety quiz competition for people over the age of 15 to enhance public awareness of occupational safety and health with an aim to reduce the number of industrial accidents in the catering industry. Entries will be accepted from today (August 7) to September 7. Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the department's website at www.labour.gov.hk or obtained from the department's Occupational Safety and Health Branch offices and the Occupational Safety and Health Council on 19/F, China United Centre, 28 Marble Road, North Point, Hong Kong.
The Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council are the organisers while the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board is the co-organiser and sponsor of the event. Other co-organisers are the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, Hong Kong Hotels Association, Association of Restaurant Managers, Association for Hong Kong Catering Services Management, Food and Beverage Management and Professional Staff Association, Hong Kong Catering Industry Association and Eating Establishment Employees General Union.
Ends/Thursday, August 7, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:01
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