Occupational safety and health training courses open for applications
The Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre of the Labour Department (LD) will launch a wide range of occupational safety and health training courses from January to March in 2026. The courses aim to enhance the working population's awareness of occupational safety and health, as well as their understanding of the legal requirements and standards stipulated in occupational safety and health regulations.
The training courses cover a wide range of topics, namely:
- Major Safety and Health Legislation related to Industrial Accident Prevention and Their Latest Amendments
- Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation and Safety Inspection Programme and Accident/Incident Investigation
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention on Work in Confined Spaces and other Safety Legislation related to Risk Assessment
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention in Logistics Industry (including use of tail lifts) and the latest revised Guidance Notes on Prevention of Trapping Hazard of Tail Lifts
- Industrial Accident Cases Analysis and Related Safety Legislation and Major Safety and Health Legislation related to Employees' Duties (with one class to be conducted in English)
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention on Electrical Work on Construction Sites and Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention on Demolition Work on Construction Sites (new course)
- A Brief Introduction to Safety Legislation and Codes of Practice related to Construction Work (including Renovation, Maintenance, Alteration and Addition Works)
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention on Working at Height (including Truss-out Bamboo Scaffolds and Suspended Working Platforms) and Codes of Practice on Scaffolds and Suspended Working Platforms (including the latest revised Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety)
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention on Lifting Work (including Tower and Mobile Cranes) and Codes of Practice for Safe Use of Tower and Mobile Cranes
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention on Loadshifting Machinery Operations (including fork-lift truck) and Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platform and Common Heavy Machinery
- Major Safety Legislation related to Accident Prevention in Catering Industry
- Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance and Regulation (with one class to be conducted in English)
- Safety Legislation for Manual Handling Operations
- Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Dangerous Substances) Legislation
- Health Hints on the Use of Computer and More Exercise Smart Work
- Occupational Stress and Happy Workplace
- First Aid in the Workplace
- Strategies for the Prevention of Occupational Diseases and Work and Healthy Lifestyle
Unless otherwise specified, the courses will mainly be conducted in Cantonese at the LD's Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre, 13/F, KOLOUR Tsuen Wan I, 68 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan. Enrolment is free.
Employers who wish to arrange for their employees to attend the courses can log in to the application website (www.oshtc.labour.gov.hk/wpas/?lang=en) or scan the QR code (see Annex) to learn about the course content and sign up for the courses. Interested employees can also enrol in the courses through the abovementioned channels on their own. For enquiries, please call 2940 7057.
The Labour Department
DH reminds public to take precautions against heat-related illnesses during very hot weather
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (June 25) reminded members of the public to take appropriate precautions against heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, during very hot weather.
In a high-temperature environment, excessive sweating and difficulty in heat dissipation can cause stress to the body. Members of the public should take the following precautions:
- Hydrate in a timely manner to prevent dehydration;
- Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting and breathable clothing to minimise heat absorption and facilitate perspiration and heat dissipation;
- Keep indoor areas well ventilated and maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, e.g. by opening windows or using a fan or air-conditioning;
- Avoid strenuous exercise and prolonged activities such as hiking or trekking;
- Arrange outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon, if possible, and bring enough water; and
- Avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcoholic beverages, which may speed up water loss through the urinary system.
In addition, infants and children, the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure, overweight people and outdoor/manual workers are more susceptible to heat stroke. These groups should pay special attention to the following:
- Infants and young children: Avoid going outside when the temperature is high. If they must go outside, adults should ensure they stay in places with moderate temperatures and good ventilation or air-conditioning. Infants and young children should never be left unattended in a confined space such as a vehicle;
- The elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses and overweight people: Pay close attention to health conditions and seek help as soon as possible if experiencing any abnormalities in health indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, etc or if there are fluctuations in health conditions. Avoid going out when the temperature is high. Make sure there is good ventilation, or turn on a fan or air-conditioner to keep an appropriate temperature indoors. High temperatures can also worsen the condition of people with chronic illnesses (such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases). Therefore, they should have an ample supply of their usual medication and keep in contact with family members, neighbours and the community. People should seek immediate help if they feel unwell.
- Outdoor/manual workers: Reschedule work to cooler hours as far as feasible. If working in a hot environment is unavoidable, provide shade where practicable and use ventilation and heat dissipation equipment. Once work has begun, gradually adjust the pace of work and take breaks in the shade to regain strength.
The DH reminded the public that heat stroke is one of the most common health risks in hot weather. Over the past five years, there have been over 200 hospital admissions due to heat stroke each year in Hong Kong, with two to five fatal cases occurring mainly during the summer months from May to September. Vulnerable groups are more susceptible to heat stroke. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion. In severe cases, patients may suffer from convulsions or become unconscious, which can be life-threatening if they are not cooled down and resuscitated in a timely manner.
Members of the public are also advised to pay attention to the latest weather, as well as the real-time and forecasted ultraviolet (UV) index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV index is high (6 or above), the public should note the following:
- Avoid direct sunlight exposure to the skin and the eyes;
- Apply broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen liberally, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher, when participating in outdoor activities. Reapply every two hours if staying outdoors for long periods, or after swimming, sweating or towelling off;
- While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen before insect repellent;
- Seek shade;
- Wear UV-blocking sunglasses;
- Wear loose-fitting clothing with long-sleeves; and
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella.
If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.
For more health information, the public may visit theCHP's heat strokepage andUV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200),latestweather report and forecast,UV Indexand weather information forhiking and mountaineering; andpress releasesof the Labour Departmenton precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Heat Stress at Work Warning is in force.
Source: AI-found images
