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Labour Advisory Board Report 2017-2018 - Chapter 8

  1. Membership
  2. Labour Advisory Board
  3. Activities in the 2017-2018 Term
  4. Committee on Employees’ Compensation
  5. Committee on Employment Services
  6. Committee on the Implementation of International Labour Standards
  7. Committee on Labour Relations
  8. Committee on Occupational Safety and Health
  9. Appendices

Committee on Occupational Safety and Health

8.1 Introduction

The Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) was set up in 1997 to advise on occupational safety and health legislation and related matters.

8.2 Terms of Reference

COSH is established to:

  • review the standards of occupational safety and health in Hong Kong;
  • advise on legislative proposals on occupational safety and health and review existing legislation; and
  • advise on the measures to be adopted by the Labour Department (LD) with a view to improving the existing system which enforces occupational safety and health legislation.

8.3 Composition

Members of COSH are appointed by the Commissioner for Labour. The composition of the committee for the 2017-2018 term is as follows:

The membership list of COSH for the 2017-2018 term is at Appendix V.

8.4 Activities during the 2017-2018 Term

During the 2017-2018 term, COSH advised on the following matters:

The construction industry has been blooming in recent years. With the commencement of a number of major infrastructure projects and the rising number of major refurbishment works for aged buildings, there has been a significant increase in the size of construction workforce. This poses challenges to the occupational safety and health performance of the construction industry. COSH recognised LD’s efforts in enhancing the occupational safety and health awareness and performance of the industry, and offered advice on how to refine and implement various initiatives.

Industrial Fatal Accidents

In light of the occurrence of a number of fatal accidents in the construction industry in 2017, LD continued to strive to reduce industrial accidents to the minimum through the three-pronged approach of strengthening inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion, and education and training; as well as launching a series of specific improvement measures targeted at the occupational safety and health of the construction industry. COSH offered advice on various follow up initiatives taken by LD in response to the fatal industrial accidents.

Strengthen Work-above-ground Safety

Fall from height is the most common cause of industrial fatal accidents. To further protect workers’ work-above-ground safety and promote a culture of using chin straps of safety helmets, LD sponsored small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in repair, maintenance, alteration and addition work to purchase safety helmets with chin straps. LD also conducted publicity and promotion as well as education and training through different means and revised the “Guidance Notes on the Selection, Use and Maintenance of Safety Helmets” with a view to urging workers to properly wear safety helmets with chin straps while working on the site. COSH supported the measures and provided advice on the implementation, the effective date, etc. of the requirements on wearing safety helmets with chin straps in the construction industry.

Enhance Safety Training Courses

In order to further strengthen the safety awareness of construction workers, and to refine the safety training for site supervisory staff, LD enhanced the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Courses (“Green Card” Courses) and the Safety Supervisors Training Courses and reported the relevant progress. COSH provided advice on consultation and follow-up actions for enhancement of the courses as well as promotion of workers’ enrolment on the courses.

Strengthening Promotion of the Complaint Channel

In order to encourage more construction workers to lodge complaints about unsafe working conditions, LD stepped up the promotion of the OSH complaint hotline including the distribution of a newly produced poster which contained six ethnic minority (EM) languages (Indonesian, Hindi, Nepali, Tagalog, Thai and Urdu) in addition to Chinese and English to facilitate EM workers to lodge complaints. At the same time, LD also distributed plastic card holders printed with the complaint hotline to encourage employees and members of the public to lodge complaints about unsafe working environment. Besides, LD also launched the production of a new set of TV and Radio Announcements in the Public Interest in 2018 with a view to further strengthening the promulgation of the OSH complaint hotline. COSH provided advice on LD’s promotion activities.