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The Labour Department has today (February 18) withdrawn the recognition given to Lion Security Limited (LSL) under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (Cap. 59) and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Confined Spaces) Regulation (Cap. 59AE) for running three safety training courses and the authorisation to issue certificates for completion of these three courses.
The three courses are the "Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course for Employees in the Construction Industry", the "Safety Training Course for Certified Workers in Confined Spaces Operations" and the "Revalidation Safety Training Course for Certified Workers in Confined Spaces Operations".
A spokesman for the Labour Department said that LSL had been found to have breached the conditions of authorisation for running these three courses. The department had gathered evidence that LSL had changed the contents of the three courses without the Commissioner's prior approval, in breach of the conditions attached to the recognition of the said courses. The decision to withdraw the recognition came after thorough investigation and evidence gathering. LSL has also been invited to give explanations and representations.
"We conduct regular inspections to monitor compliance by course providers with conditions of approval of safety training courses. This forms an important part of our efforts to ensure the standard of training provided by these courses. Failure to comply with the approval conditions may result in the withdrawal of the recognition of the courses and the authorisation to issue the relevant certificates," the spokesman warned.
Other than LSL, there are 90 approved course providers running "mandatory basic safety" training courses, 46 approved course providers running "confined spaces certified worker safety" training courses and 31 approved course providers running "confined spaces certified worker revalidation safety" training courses for the public. People who need to undertake the three types of courses may enrol in the courses run by these approved course providers. Information on these courses is available on the Labour Department's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content5.htm).
"Workers affected or requiring more information are welcome to call the Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre hotline on 2940 7076 or the department's occupational safety and health advisory telephone service hotline on 2559 2297," said the spokesman.
Ends/Friday, February 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:01
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