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The Labour Department is highly concerned with the safety performance of the construction industry as it is a high-risk trade with its work injuries on the high side. The Government has all along allocated resources and implemented various measures to raise its safety standard.
Speaking at the launch ceremony of the Construction Safety Promotional Campaign today (May 3), the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour (Labour), Mr Paul Tang, said that with the concerted efforts of stakeholders in the construction industry and the Government, the safety performance of the trade had improved notably in the past decade.
However, a resurgent trend in work injuries in the industry recently warranted concern, he said.
The number of industrial accidents in the construction industry recorded a slight increase of 0.3% from 2,587 in the first three quarters of 2005 to 2,596 in the corresponding period last year. On the other hand, the accident rate per thousand workers rose by 14.2% from 56.7 in the same period in 2005 to 64.7 in the corresponding period in 2006.
"In the light of the resurgent trend, we must pay more efforts to raise the occupational safety and health standard of the industry and to reduce work injuries to a minimum," Mr Tang said.
He noted that with the promotion by the Occupational Safety and Health Council, many construction sites had implemented "Safe Working Cycle" to enhance their safety management systems. The morning safety meeting is one of the important steps of the safe working cycle.
The management could disseminate safety messages to workers in the morning safety meeting to raise their safety awareness. Workers taking part in health exercises could also stretch their muscles and exercise their joints to warm up for work and to reduce work injury.
"What's more, as all the site personnel join together to do exercise, it will foster team spirit and mutual co-operation. This will reinforce the safety culture within the organisations," Mr Tang said.
The Construction Safety Promotional Campaign for this year covers on-site health exercises, safety competitions, election of outstanding work safety and health employees and experience sharing sessions. The event is jointly organised by the Occupational Safety and Health Council, the Labour Department and 14 organisations to raise the safety awareness of all parties in the industry.
Ends/Thursday, May 3, 2007
Issued at HKT 09:31
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