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Labour Department Withdraws Recognition of LRB for Violating Safety Training Course Regulations

HK

Labour Department Withdraws Recognition of LRB for Violating Safety Training Course Regulations
HK

HK

Labour Department Withdraws Recognition of LRB for Violating Safety Training Course Regulations

2024-09-06 09:00 Last Updated At:12:20

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

Source: AI-generated images

Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Jardine's Lookout today

​The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a detached house in Jardine's Lookout this morning (January 20), in which a man fell from a wooden folding ladder while installing an air-conditioner. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by his death and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.

The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the air-conditioning works at the detached house concerned. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."

The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."

To protect workers' safety, the LD reminds contractors that ladders are usually used for ascending and descending only. Using ladders for work-above-ground is unsafe. Contractors shall provide and ensure that workers use appropriate working platforms or other safe means of support, including step platforms or hop-up platforms in conformity with international or national standards, instead of ladders.

The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.

In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

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