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Good housekeeping practices can help reduce workplace accidents, the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said today (December 10).

Speaking at the Good Housekeeping Seminar and Award Presentation, he said employers, employees, the Government and other concerned parties should work together to create a safe and healthy work environment.

Mr Cheung said the Labour Department had maintained a close partnership with all trades and industries and professional bodies for years to enhance their safety performance.

"The occupational safety and health performance in Hong Kong has continuously improved in recent years. The number of occupational accidents dropped 20.1% from 58,841 in 1999 to 47,023 in 2002. The accident rate per 1,000 workers decreased by 21% from 24.3 to 19.2," he said.

"In the first half of 2003, the number of occupational injuries was 19,611, down 14.5% from 22,924 in the same period last year. The accident rate per 1,000 workers also dropped 11.7% from 18.7 to 16.5."

As many of these injuries were related to poor housekeeping, Mr Cheung believed that adopting good housekeeping practices could effectively minimise workplace accidents.

"Keeping the workplace clean and tidy is the key to improving safety and health in the work environment, while hygiene is crucial for practicing good housekeeping," he said.

"This year, the Good Housekeeping Promotional Campaign focuses on the promotion of workplace hygiene. It is hoped that through participating in the campaign, employers and employees would be more concerned about hygiene at their workplace and would eventually adopt good housekeeping practices and jointly create a safe work environment."

Mr Cheung said that activities under the campaign were well-received. Over 100 organisations participated in the Good Housekeeping Competition while more than 200 competed for the Workplace Hygiene Recognition, and more than 200 companies signed the Workplace Hygiene Charter. He said it was encouraging to see the community placing more concern on occupational safety and health.

At the seminar, organisations with excellent housekeeping practices also shared with participants their valuable experience.

Jointly organised by the Occupational Safety and Health Council, the Labour Department and other government departments, the Good Housekeeping Promotional Campaign aims to promote the importance of keeping the workplace clean. It also ties in with the Clean Hong Kong Campaign to establish a safer and more hygienic work environment.

Ends/Wednesday, December 10, 2003

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