Labour Department strengthens regulation of Mandatory Safety Training Course providers
The Labour Department (LD) today (September 6) withdrew the recognition of L.R.B. Partnership Human Resources Limited (LRB), for conducting the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work) (generally known as Green Card Course) under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (Cap. 59) for workers employed at industrial undertakings engaging in construction work.
LRB was found to have breached the approval conditions attached to the conducting of the course. Multiple violations were found in two classes held by LRB in July this year, including insufficient teaching hours and one class being taught by an unapproved trainer. Additionally, the trainer did not follow the prescribed syllabus to provide practical training, and even allowed 21 trainees who had not completed the practical training to take the examinations and issued the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work) certificates (Green Cards) to these trainees. On the directive of the LD, LRB has retrieved and cancelled 15 Green Cards, and the remaining six Green Cards that have not been retrieved have also been invalidated. The numbers of the not yet retrieved Green Cards are listed in the Annex.
After conducting a thorough investigation and evidence collection, and considering the explanations and representations made by LRB and the involved trainer, the LD considered the nature of the violations to be extremely serious and decided to withdraw their recognition. The involved trainer was also disqualified from teaching the relevant Green Card Course.
The LD attaches great importance to occupational safety and health (OSH). Pursuant to the risk-based principle, the LD formulates and adjusts corresponding strategies of inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion as well as education and training in a timely manner to actively promote the OSH culture. Enhancing the quality of recognised safety training course providers (TCPs) and their trainers is a crucial part of the education and training strategy. Since April this year, the LD has conducted special inspection operations targeting these TCPs and increased manpower to inspect the TCPs to ensure the quality of the courses.
A spokesman for the LD said, "The LD is highly concerned about the quality of mandatory safety training courses. We will flexibly deploy manpower as needed to conduct special inspection operations to monitor whether the recognised TCPs comply with the approval conditions so as to ensure the standard of the training courses, allowing workers to receive appropriate OSH training and understand the importance of work safety. If the TCPs do not comply with the approved conditions set by the LD, their recognition to operate the relevant courses would be withdrawn.The LD will continue to closely monitor and improve the quality of the TCPs and their trainers, and strive to enhance the standard of OSH in Hong Kong."
In addition to explaining safety knowledge, legal requirements and work ethics to TCPs and their trainers through various channels, the LD also regularly co-organises online public lectures on "Professional Ethics and Conduct of Trainer of Mandatory Safety Training Courses" with the Occupational Safety and Health Council and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, for TCPs and trainers to enrol. The LD also held an "Online Seminar on Regulating Mandatory Safety Training Course Providers" on August 5 this year to allow the relevant providers and trainers to clearly understand the requirements and penalty mechanism of the approved conditions.
Currently, there are 123 recognised TCPs for the Green Card Courses. The relevant course information is available on the LD's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content5.htm). Individuals who need to take the course may enrol with these recognised providers. For enquiries, please call the LD's Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre hotline at 2940 7064 or the department's occupational safety and health advisory service hotline at 2559 2297.
Source: AI-generated images
Special traffic arrangements for triathlon on Hong Kong Island
Police will implement special traffic arrangements in Central and Wan Chai from this Friday to Sunday (April 4 to 6) to facilitate the holding of a triathlon event.
A. Road closure
The following roads will be closed:
(1) From 10am on April 4 to 6pm on April 6:
Expo Drive between Legislative Council Road and Expo Drive Central.
(2) From 1am to 2pm on April 5 and from 1am to 6pm on April 6:
- Yiu Sing Street;
- Eastbound Lung Wo Road between Man Yiu Street and Fleming Road, including the slip road of eastbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass tunnel from Wan Chai to North Point;
- Westbound Lung Wo Road between southbound Lung Tat Path and southbound Tim Wa Avenue;
- Northbound Lung Tat Path;
- Lung Hop Street;
- Legislative Council Road between Legislative Council Complex Car Park exit and Lung Wo Road;
- Part of the traffic lanes of the slip road of westbound Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel heading to Central District;
- Part of the traffic lanes of eastbound Man Po Street near Man Yiu Street;
- Part of the traffic lanes of eastbound Man Po Street near Finance Street;
- Part of the traffic lanes of southbound Man Yiu Street between Man Kwong Street and westbound Yiu Sing Street;
- Part of the traffic lane of southbound Man Yiu Street near Lung Wo Road;
- Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Lung Wo Road between Tim Wa Avenue and Man Yiu Street;
- Part of the traffic lanes of northbound Fleming Road between westbound Convention Avenue and eastbound Lung Wo Road;
- Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Hung Hing Road near Fleming Road;
- The slip road of westbound Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel leading to the exit of Lung Wo Road; and
- Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Convention Avenue near northbound Fleming Road.
B. Traffic diversions
In connection with the road closure as mentioned above, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:
(1) From 10am on April 4 to 0.59am on April 5 and 2.01pm on April 5 to 0.59am on April 6:
Traffic along eastbound Expo Drive heading to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will be diverted via eastbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Expo Drive East.
(2) From 1am to 2pm on April 5 and from 1am to 6pm on April 6:
- Traffic along westbound Man Kwong Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road via southbound Man Yiu Street will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to Admiralty or Mid-levels via eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via the slip road of eastbound Man Po Street heading to westbound Finance Street, westbound Finance Street, temporary exit connecting Finance Street and Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel, the slip road of westbound Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel heading to eastbound Man Kat Street, eastbound Man Kat Street, eastbound Connaught Road Central and eastbound Harcourt Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road via eastbound Yiu Sing Street will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along southbound Man Yiu Street cannot turn left to eastbound Lung Wo Road and eastbound Yiu Sing Street. Vehicles will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Man Cheung Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road cannot turn right to northbound Yiu Sing Street. Vehicles will be diverted via westbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Man Yiu Street;
- Traffic along eastbound Yiu Sing Street and southbound Yiu Sing Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
- Traffic along northbound Legislative Council Road cannot turn left to westbound Lung Wo Road, vehicles will be diverted via southbound Legislative Council Road, eastbound Lung Wui Road, eastbound Fenwick Pier Street, roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road heading to Chief Executive’s Office via southbound Tim Wa Avenue will be diverted via southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central, u-turn, eastbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Tim Wa Avenue;
- Traffic along eastbound Lung Wui Road cannot turn left to northbound Lung Hop Street;
- Traffic along westbound Fenwick Pier Street cannot turn right to northbound Lung Hop Street. Vehicles will be diverted
via Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along westbound Convention Avenue heading to westbound Lung Wo Road via northbound Lung Tat Path will be diverted via Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along southbound Expo Drive East heading to westbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
- Traffic along westbound Hung Hing Road heading to westbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted to southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place; and
- Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road heading to Central Pier or Finance Street via Yiu Sing Street will be diverted via westbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Man Yiu Street.
C. Suspension of parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas
All parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas on the following roads will be suspended:
(1) From 10am on April 4 to 6pm on April 6:
All metered parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas on Expo Drive.
(2) From 10pm on April 4 to 2pm on April 5 and from 10pm on April 5 to 6pm on April 6:
- All metered parking spaces on Yiu Sing Street and Lung Hop Street;
- Lay-bys on westbound Lung Wo Road near City Hall and near Central Barracks; and
- Lay-by on Edinburgh Place near City Hall.
All vehicles parked illegally during the implementation of the above special traffic arrangements will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing.
The Police will implement the special arrangements depending on the prevailing traffic and crowd conditions. Motorists should exercise patience, and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.
