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The Labour Department is inviting entries for the Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme 2007-08 which will be launched tomorrow (November 1).
The scheme aims to enhance awareness among construction contractors and workers of safety and health at work, to foster a positive safety culture, as well as to encourage the adoption of safety working practices.
A spokesman for the Labour Department said today (October 31), "Through years of concerted efforts by employers, employees and the Government, there has been a marked improvement in safety performance of the construction industry."
"The number of construction accidents fell remarkably from 14,078 in 1999 to 3,400 last year, representing a drop of 75.8%; the accident rate per thousand workers also dropped from 198.4 to 64.3 in the same period.
"It is encouraging to note that the downward trend of construction accidents continued in the first half of this year. Both the number of accidents and the accident rate per thousand workers dropped by 8.3% and 3.1% respectively as compared with the corresponding period last year," he continued.
"The construction industry remains a high risk sector. The accident toll is relatively high as compared to other industrial sectors while industrial fatal cases topped all sectors. Among the industrial accidents in all industrial sectors reported last year, site accident figures account for 19.7% of all reported cases and 61.5% of all industrial fatal cases," the spokesman said.
To promote work safety and health to the construction industry and to reduce accident toll, the department again joins with the Occupational Safety and Health Council, the Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Housing Authority, the Construction Industry Training Authority, the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board, the Hong Kong Construction Association, the Hong Kong General Building Contractors Association, the Hong Kong Construction Sub-contractors Association, the Hong Kong Federation of Electrical and Mechanical Contractors Limited and the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union to launch the award scheme this year.
All construction contractors, sub-contractors and site personnel in Hong Kong are welcome to compete for the awards provided that they have not recorded any serious or fatal accidents or received any Suspension Notices served by the department in the six months preceding the enrolment deadline.
The three main awards for the scheme are "Construction Sites", "Safety Teams" and "Safe Workers". Entries for the "Construction Sites" awards will be divided into seven categories, Building Sites (Public Sector), Building Sites (Private Sector), Civil Engineering Sites, Renovation and Maintenance Works, Building Sites (Sub-contractors), Civil Engineering Sites (Sub-contractors) and Renovation and Maintenance Works (Sub-contractors). Winners of these seven categories and the "Safety Teams" will be awarded accordingly whereas the safe worker will be presented with certificate, badge and cash coupon.
In addition, a new category of award – "Safety Slogan" - has been introduced this year to enhance awareness of occupational safety and health among trade personnel and the public. The deadline for entry to this competition is November 28 and people over the age 15 or construction related companies are welcome to participate.
Closing date for entries for the "Construction Sites" and "Safety Teams" awards is November 15. The assessment criteria will cover various aspects concerning the safety conditions of construction sites and their safety management system. On the other hand, safe workers will be nominated by an assessment team. The results will be announced in March next year.
Enrolment forms and details of the entry requirements are available at offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council.
Enrolment forms can also be downloaded from the department's website at www.labour.gov.hk. Enquiries can be made on 2852 3565.
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:35
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