Hong Kong’s workplace safety has long been in decline: construction is the worst sector in the city, with some of the most dangerous construction sites in the developed world

An accredited government training provider has been struck off a construction safety training register for three months after government investigators found the firm allowed discussion of answers amongst trainees during a written examination.

Labour Department says the course accreditation of Greater Bay EHS Technology Consultant Limited trading as OSH Training Academy (GBEHSTCL) for Mandatory Basic Safety Training Course (Construction Work) was suspended for three months “in view of the serious nature of the breach”.

“Under the approval conditions of the course concerned, a course provider should strictly prohibit cheating,” said a Labour Department statement.

Despite the suspension, GBEHSTCL is still accredited for Labour Department’s Confined Spaces Operation training course and provides accredited courses for Marine Department. It has also produced Environmental Impact Assessments for the Environmental Protection Department

“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 Labour Department said.

The occupational fatality rate in Hong Kong has been steadily climbing over the last decade. The construction sector is one of the worst offenders, with 3,097 industrial incidents and 20 deaths in 2023.