Promotion and Publicity

In 2004, the department launched a variety of promotional campaigns and publicity drives to enhance occupational safety and health. These activities included seminars, safety forums, thematic talks, roving exhibitions, TV and radio programmes, advertisements, promotion of the Occupational Safety Charter and Occupational Hygiene Charter, and organisation of the safety award schemes for the construction and catering industries.

Mandatory Basic Safety Training

The Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance requires mandatory basic safety training for people engaged in construction work and container handling operations. Upon satisfactory completion of the training, workers are issued with a certificate, commonly known as the Green Card, valid for three years. To revalidate the certificate, the worker has to attend a half-day refresher course every three years. By the end of 2004, over 699 000 people have obtained the Green Card for working on construction sites and container handling workplaces. Some 271 000 workers have completed the half-day refresher course.

Occupational Safety and Health Education

The Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre of the Labour Department offers training courses and tailor-made talks to help workers understand the requirements of occupational safety and health legislation. In 2004, the centre organised over 800 such courses and talks for some 13 000 employees. Apart from the traditional way of organising health talks, the Labour Department, with its contingent of medical doctors and nurses, has developed outreach services for health education, with health talks delivered at the venues of individual companies and organisations. In 2004, 1 746 health talks were delivered to more than 59 500 participants.