Labour Department suspends recognition of safety training course

     The Labour Department (LD) today (August 21) suspended its recognition of Greater Bay EHS Technology Consultant Limited trading as OSH Training Academy (GBEHSTCL), for conducting the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work) under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (Cap. 59) for persons employed at an industrial undertaking carrying out construction work. The suspension will last for a period of three months until November 20.
 
     GBEHSTCL was found to have breached the approval conditions attached to the running of the course. The training course provider allowed discussion of answers among trainees during a written examination of the course and subsequently issued certificates to the trainees. Under the approval conditions of the course concerned, a course provider should strictly prohibit cheating, including discussion of answers among trainees or between trainees and trainer or invigilator during the examination. Having conducted a thorough investigation and evidence gathering, and after considering the explanations and representations given by GBEHSTCL, the LD decided to suspend its recognition in view of the serious nature of the breach. The trainer involved in the course was also suspended from teaching the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work) held by GBEHSTCL for the same three-month period.
 
     "We closely monitor all recognised mandatory safety training course providers to ensure the quality of these training courses. Failure to comply with the approval conditions may result in the suspension or withdrawal of course recognition," a spokesman for the LD said.

     There are currently 124 approved course providers for the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work). The course information is available on the LD's website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/osh/content5.htm). People who need to take the course may enrol with these approved course providers. For enquiries, please call the LD's Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre hotline on 2940 7076 or the department's occupational safety and health advisory telephone service hotline on 2559 2297.