The Manpower Panel of the Legislative Council held a meeting today (24) to discuss issues related to occupational safety and health and the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund.
One of the agenda mentions the problem of lower limb strain caused by standing for a long time.
The government representative said frankly that there is no plan to include it as an occupational disease.
Many representatives from the labor sector sighed their disappointment. Committee Chairman Lu Songxiong criticized that the government's work attitude towards occupational safety and health protection is banal and courteous, and it has not really figured out how to further protect workers.
The Labour Department stated that it has issued guidelines to provide seats and conduct unannounced inspections
The Deputy Commissioner of Labour (Occupational Safety and Health) Leung Wing-yan reported that the "Guidelines for the Design of Standing Work and Service Counters" were published in December 2018, explaining the health hazards that employees may cause from standing work, and the required risk assessment and preventive measures. , It is especially emphasized that employers must provide employees who are engaged in standing work with restricted activities with suitable work seats or seats for taking a break at the work position within a reasonable and practicable range.
In addition, the Labour Department has also raided the retail, catering, property management and hotel industries that involve standing work. If it is found that the employer has not taken appropriate measures in accordance with the new guidelines, it will take corresponding enforcement actions.
Many legislators from the labor sector are concerned that the government has no intention to classify lower limb strain caused by standing work as an occupational disease.
Pan Zhaoping of the AOL pointed out that he hopes the government can consider again. The quoting document stated that the Labour Department started collecting detailed information on new cases of lower extremity musculoskeletal diseases in two occupational health clinics in July 2018. As of December 2020, a total of There are 926 new patients suffering from lower extremity musculoskeletal diseases, and the number is also quite high.
Retail and catering employees may need to stand and work for long periods of time. Currently, there are guidelines that require employers to provide seats.
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The government says many causes of lower extremity diseases are not listed as occupational diseases
Liang Yongen responded that to include a disease as an occupational disease, it is necessary to establish a definite causal relationship with the job content.
He mentioned that there may not be a very precise relationship between lower limb strain and work, because there are many factors that are not related to work, such as the patient's own weight, other diseases, old age, housework, etc.
Lu Songxiong pointed out that standing for a long time may not be the only factor, but it can also be one of the key factors that induce it.
He also criticized that the prescription for the work flow of occupational safety guarantees is "showing etiquette and dealing with each other," and there is a lack of new publicity and education in publicity and education.
Lu Songxiong believes that there has been no increase in 52 types of occupational diseases over the years, and prescriptions should also refer to the definition of occupational diseases in other regions. The definition in Hong Kong is obviously narrower.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, He Qiming, mentioned that the government will review the coverage of the owed fund, but did not provide a timetable for the review.
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He Qiming was questioned by his party members to review the timetable for breaking the debt fund
The meeting also discussed the issue of the scope of protection of the arrears fund. Some Members were concerned that the current fund’s upper limit of 36,000 yuan for compensation for arrears has not been updated for more than 20 years.
Guo Weiqiang of the Federation of Trade Unions pointed out that the current salary of a grassroots security guard for four months is more than 36,000 yuan. He believes that the figure is too low and completely outdated, and it must be reviewed as soon as possible.
The Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare, He Qiming, mentioned that this meeting hopes to listen to the opinions of Members. The government will review the coverage of the debt fund, but has not given a review timetable.
He also reminded that the current owed fund has a surplus of 6.3 billion yuan, which seems to be a lot, but after the cancellation of the MPF hedging arrangement, an extra sum of money may be required to compensate the owed fund, so be careful when discussing.
Lu Songxiong said that the labor sector’s review of the owed fund can be said to be "looking through the waters". He also reminded He Qiming, a party member, that in the past, "you have dealt with many workers asking for help with me" and should be very clear about the plight of the owed workers. , I believe that the other party "has the heart and courage" to handle this matter well.
He also described that the review of the owed funds is believed to be just a "small assignment" for the current government, and he hopes that it can be completed within the term of the current government.
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