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The Labour Department is inviting entries for the Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme 2006-07 from tomorrow (November 1).
The scheme aims to enhance the 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) that through years of concerted efforts by employers, employees and the Government, there had been a sustained improvement in safety performance of the construction industry.
"The number of construction accidents decreased from 3,833 in 2004 to 3,548 last year, representing a drop of 7.4%. The accident rate per thousand workers also decreased slightly by 0.8% when compared with the figure of 2004," the spokesman said.
"However, it seemed that the recovery of Hong Kong's economy had led to more industrial incidents. Comparing the figures in the first quarter of this year with the same period last year, the number of industrial accidents in the construction sector dropped by 3%, but the accident rate per thousand workers recorded a rise of 13.5%."
"The construction industry remains a high-risk sector and the accident toll is relatively high compared to other industrial sectors. Among the industrial accidents reported last year, the number of construction site accidents remained second highest after the catering industry. They accounted for 21% of all reported cases and 86.2% of all industrial fatal cases," the spokesman said.
In an attempt 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 Environment, Transport and Works 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 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 Labour Department in the 12 months preceding the enrolment deadline.
The three main awards for the scheme included "Construction Sites", "Safety Teams" and "Safe Workers".
Entries for the "Construction Sites" awards will be divided into seven categories. They included two new categories of awards - Renovation and Maintenance Works, and Renovation and Maintenance Works (Sub-contractors) - to raise the safety and health awareness of personnel in the sector. The remaining five categories are Building Sites (Public Sector), Building Sites (Private Sector), Civil Engineering Sites, Building Sites (Sub-contractors) and Civil Engineering Sites (Sub-contractors).
Prizes will be given to the award winners of these seven categories and the "Safety Teams" respectively whereas the safe workers will each be presented with a certificate, a badge and a cash coupon.
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 Labour 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/Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:10
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