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Local catering establishments are invited to participate 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 (July 9) to July 22.
First launched in 1999, the scheme aims to enhance the occupational safety and health awareness of employers, employees and stakeholders in the industry. It is also tasked to inculcate an occupational safety and health culture in the industry and the public, and to award the good performances in work safety and health of catering establishments, supervisors and workers.
All catering establishments in Hong Kong are welcome to compete for the awards provided that they hold a valid full licence issued by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department before the preliminary assessment and their licences have not been suspended by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for any reason in the 12 months preceding the preliminary assessment. They should also not have recorded any serious or fatal industrial accidents or received any Suspension Notices issued by the Labour Department in the 12 months preceding the enrolment deadline. Management of catering establishments are encouraged to nominate their supervisors to participate in the competition.
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; cafˆm; and light refreshments eating places and canteens.
There will be a Group Safety Performance Award for groups that have a good overall safety and health performance and have entered the competition with more than one outlet in the same sub-category of the Catering Establishment Awards.
To commend single-outlet catering establishments not operated by a group, a Safety Awareness Award will be presented to single-outlet catering establishments which have entered the competition, undergone the preliminary assessment and did 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 early August and mid September. Assessment criteria will cover various aspects concerning the safety conditions of catering establishments and their safety management system.
The scheme will also feature a number of publicity functions, including a safety quiz competition, to enhance public awareness of occupational safety and health with the aim of reducing the number of industrial accidents in the catering industry. Members of the public over the age of 15 are welcome to join the safety quiz competition. Entries will be accepted from today to August 10, 2009.
The Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council are the organisers of the event, while the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board is the co-organiser and sponsor. Other co-organisers of the event are the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association, Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, Hong Kong Hotels Association, Association of Restaurant Managers, Food and Beverage Management and Professional Staff Association, Association for Hong Kong Catering Services Management, and Eating Establishment Employees General Union.
Enrolment forms and details of the entry requirements of the scheme and the safety quiz competition can be obtained from offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Branch of the department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council at 19/F, China United Centre, 28 Marble Road, North Point, Hong Kong, or downloaded from the department¡¦s website at www.labour.gov.hk. Enquiries can be made on 2852 3565.
Ends/Thursday, July 9, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:00
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