Occupational Safety and Health
Statistics Bulletin
Issue No. 16 ( August 2016 )
Occupational Safety and Health Branch, Labour Department
This Bulletin provides statistics of work-related accidents and confirmed cases of
occupational disease in Hong Kong with information, analysis and trend on various
economic sectors and selected industries.
Employers, employees and occupational safety
and health practitioners, by benchmarking against the overall accident rate and the industry
average in this bulletin, can better manage the occupational safety and health programme
of their own organisations.
The Labour Department attaches great importance to enhancing occupational safety and
health, and is committed to ensuring that risks to the safety of people at work are
properly managed and addressed through legislation and enforcement, publicity and
promotion as well as education and training. Through the concerted efforts of all
parties concerned, including employers, employees, contractors, safety professionals,
trade associations, workers’ unions, related organisations and government departments,
Hong Kong's occupational safety performance has been improving steadily in the past
decade.
In 2015, the number of occupational injuries in all workplaces stood at 35 852, a decrease
of 4.5 per cent over 2014, while the injury rate per 1 000 employees decreased from 12.8 to
12.1, a decrease of 5.6 per cent. The number of industrial accidents in all industries in 2015
stood at 11 497, a decrease of 1.5 per cent over 2014, while the accident rate per 1 000
workers decreased from 19.0 to 18.4, down by 3.5 per cent.
The high-risk construction industry recorded 3 723 industrial accidents in 2015, 7.4 per
cent up when compared to 3 467 in 2014.
Over the same period, the accident rate per
1 000 workers decreased by 6.5 per cent from 41.9 to 39.1.
The number of accidents
increased by 9.5 per cent and the accident rate dropped by 39.1 per cent in the past decade,
the construction industry still recorded highest number of fatalities and accident rate
among all industry sectors.
1
Occupational Injuries
Number of Occupational Injuries
and Injury Rate per 1 000 Employees
2006 to 2015
No.of Occupational
Injuries

The injury rate per 1 000 employees in
2015 was 12.1, lower than 12.8 in 2014
by 5.6%, 18.4 in 2006 by 34.5% and the
average of the past five years (13.3) by
9.6%.

In 2015, there were 177 occupational
fatalities, lower than 210 in 2014 by 15.7%,
187 in 2006 by 5.3% and the average of
the past five years (192) by 8%.

The occupational fatality rate in 2015 was
0.060 per 1 000 employees, lower than
0.071 in 2014 by 16.7%, 0.073 in 2006 by
18.8% and the average of the past five
years (0.067) by 10.9%

Of the 35 852 occupational injuries in
2015, over 80% occurred in the following
major economic sectors:
30
46 937
43 979
41 900
39 579
41 907
40 578
39 907
40 000
30 000
In 2015, there were 35 852 occupational
injuries, lower than 37 523 in 2014 by
4.5%, 46 937 in 2006 by 23.6% and the
average of the past five years (38 377) by
6.6%.
Injury Rate per
1 000 Employees
60 000
50 000

18.4
16.9
15.8
15.0
15.5
14.6
20 000
14.1
38 027
37 523
13.2
35 852
20
12.8
12.1
10
2014
2015
10 000
0
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
No. of Occupational Injuries
2013
Occupational Injury Rate
Number of Occupational Fatalities
and Fatality Rate per 1 000 Employees
2006 to 2015
No.of Occupational
Fatalities
Fatality Rate per
1 000 Employees
220
0.10
210
0.09
196
200
191
187
181
180
188
183
0.08
177
172
0.068
160
0.07
165
0.073
0.066
0.068
0.069
0.071
0.069
0.065
0.063
0.06
0.060
140
0.05
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
No. of Occupational Fatalities
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Occupational Fatality Rate
Occupational Injuries in All Workplaces
- Distribution by Major Economic Activities
2015
Public
Administration,
Social and Personal
Services
20.4%
Import/Export,
Wholesale and
Retail Trades,
Accommodation and
Food Services
30.8%
30.8%
20.4%
19.0%
Others
18.3%
Financing,
Insurance, Real
Estate, Professinal
and Business
Services
19.0%
11.5%
Transportation,
Storage, Postal and
Courier Services,
Information and
Communications
11.5%
2
Import/Export, Wholesale and
Retail Trades, Accommodation
and Food Services
Public Administration, Social
and Personal Services
Financing, Insurance, Real
Estate,
Professional
and
Business Services
Transportation, Storage, Postal
and
Courier
Services,
Information
and
Communications
Industrial Accidents
Number of Industrial Accidents
and Accident Rate per 1 000 Workers
2006 to 2015
No.of Industrial
Accidents

In 2015, the number of industrial accidents
was 11 497, lower than 11 677 in 2014 by
1.5% and the average of the past five
years (12 240) by 6.1%.

The accident rate per 1 000 workers in
2015 was 18.4, lower than 19.0 in 2014 by
3.5% and the average of the past five
years (20.4) by 9.9%.

In 2015, the number of industrial fatalities
was 24, lower than 25 in 2014 by 4% and
the average of the past five years (27) by
11.1%.

The industrial fatality rate per 1 000
workers in 2015 was 0.038, lower than
0.041 in 2014 by 5.9% and the average of
the past five years (0.045) by 14.7%.

In 2015, there were 3 723 industrial
accidents in the construction industry,
higher than 3 467 in 2014 by 7.4%, 3 400
in 2006 by 9.5% and the average of the
past five years (3 339) by 11.5%.

The accident rate per 1 000 workers of the
construction industry in 2015 was 39.1,
lower than 41.9 in 2014 by 6.5%, 64.3 in
2006 by 39.1% and the average of the past
five years (43.2) by 9.3%.
Accident Rate per
1 000 Workers
25 000
50
20 000
40
17 286
16 117
14 932
13 600
15 000
31.5
29.3
27.2
10 000
24.6
14 015
13 658
24.9
12 547
30
11 820
11 677
11 497
19.6
19.0
18.4
20
23.6
21.3
5 000
10
0
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
No. of Industrial Accidents
2011
2012
Accident Rate
2013
2014
Change of HSIC Version#
Number of Industrial Fatalities
and Fatality Rate per 1 000 Workers
2006 to 2015
No.of Industrial
Fatalities
2015
Fatality Rate per
1 000 Workers
0.10
40
29
30
26
25
29
0.08
28
25
24
24
0.06
21
18
20
0.047
0.050
0.045
0.044
0.049
10
0.04
0.046
0.041
0.038
0.038
0.032
0.02
0
0.00
2006
2007
2008
2009
No. of Industrial Fatalities
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Change of HSIC Version#
Industrial Fatality Rate
Number of Industrial Accidents and Accident Rate
per 1 000 Workers in Construction Industry
No.of Industrial
Accident Rate per
2006 to 2015
Accidents
1 000 Workers
100
5 000
3723
4 000
3 400
3 000
64.3
3 042
3 033
60.6
61.4
3 112
2 755
54.6
3 160
3 232
3 467
2 884
52.1
2 000
80
60
49.7
44.3
40
40.8
41.9
39.1
1 000
20
0
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
No. of Industrial Accidents
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Accident Rate
3

In 2015, the number of industrial fatalities
in the construction industry was 19, lower
than 20 in 2014 by 5%, higher than 16 in
2006 by 18.8% and lower than the average
of the past five years (22) by 12%.

The industrial fatality rate per 1 000
workers of the construction industry in
2015 was 0.200, lower than 0.242 in 2014
by 17.3%, 0.303 in 2006 by 34% and the
average of the past five years (0.285) by
29.8%.

In 2015, there were 5 386 industrial
accidents in the food and beverage
services, lower than 5 566 in 2014 by 3.2%
and the average of the past five years
(6 013) by 10.4%.

The accident rate per 1 000 workers of the
food and beverage services in 2015 was
22.1, lower than 22.9 in 2014 by 3.3% and
the average of the past five years (25.3) by
12.5%.

In 2015, there were 1 675 industrial
accidents in the manufacturing industry,
lower than 1 787 in 2014 by 6.3% and the
average of the past five years (1 836) by
8.8%.

The accident rate per 1 000 workers of the
manufacturing industry in 2015 was 16.8,
lower than 17.4 in 2014 by 3.6% and the
average of the past five years (17.5) by
3.7%.
Number of Industrial Fatalities and Fatality Rate
per 1 000 Workers in Construction Industry Fatality Rate per
Industrial
2006 to 2015
1 000 Workers
No.of
Fatalities
40
1.0
0.8
30
23
20
19
20
19
0.405
0.376
24
22
0.6
20
19
16
0.4
10
0.379
9
0.367
0.303
0.337
0.277
0.2
0.242
0.200
0.163
0.0
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
No. of Industrial Fatalities
2013
2014
2015
Industrial Fatality Rate
Number of Industrial Accidents and Accident Rate
per 1 000 Workers in Food and Beverage Services
No.of Industrial
Accident Rate per
2009 to 2015
Accidents
1 000 Workers
50
10 000
8 000
7 470
35.7
40
7 541
7 158
34.7
6 216
5 740
30.9
6 000
30
5 566
5386
26.4
24.2
20
22.9
22.1
4 000
10
2 000
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
No. of Industrial Accidents
2014
2015
Accident Rate
Number of Industrial Accidents and Accident Rate
per 1 000 Workers in Manufacturing Industry
Industrial
Accident Rate per
2009 to 2015
No.of
Accidents
3 000
1 991
1 000 Workers
30
2 009
2 001
2 000
1 944
1 775
20
1 787
1675
15.9
16.8
17.8
18.2
17.1
17.4
16.8
10
1 000
0
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
No. of Industrial Accidents
2013
2014
2015
Accident Rate
4
Occupational Diseases
Number of Confirmed Occupational Diseases in 2006-2015

In 2015, there were 256 cases of
confirmed
occupational
diseases
(including monaural hearing loss*),
compared with 267 in 2014.
* The coverage of the Occupational
Deafness (Compensation) Ordinance
has been extended to employees with
noise-induced monaural hearing loss in
April 2010. In 2010, 510 old cases
related to monaural hearing loss were
handled. The number of confirmed
occupational diseases in 2011 to 2015
has included monaural hearing loss.

The
most
common
occupational
diseases confirmed in 2015 were
occupational
deafness
(including
monaural hearing loss), silicosis and
tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm.
Number of Confirmed Occupational Diseases in
2006-2015
500
422
400
300
330
268
264
177
200
204
231
229
267
256
100
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Number of Confirmed Occupational Diseases in 2015
Occupational Disease
Number
Occupational Deafness (including monaural hearing loss) 133
Silicosis
56
Tenosynovitis of the Hand or Forearm
31
Mesothelioma
13
Tuberculosis
9
7
Gas Poisoning
Occupational Dermatitis
3
Compressed Air Illness
2
Occupational Asthma
1
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
1
Asbestosis
0
Total
256
Occupational Deafness

Number of Occupational Deafness in 2006-2015
250
226
200
149
133
150
98
100
77
51
47
58
102
70
50
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
There were 133 cases of occupational
deafness (including monaural hearing loss*)
in 2015. Cases were engaged in the following
work:
44.3% Rock grinding, chiselling, cutting
or percussion
23.3% Working near internal combustion
engines, turbines, pressurised fuel
burners or jet engines
17.3% Metal grinding
6.0% Weaving or spinning
3.8% High speed web-fed offset printing
2.2% Pile driving
1.5% Using routing, planing, circular
sawing machine or automatic
lathes
0.8% Metal percussion
0.8% Abrasive blasting operations
* The coverage of the Occupational Deafness
(Compensation) Ordinance has been extended to
employees with noise-induced monaural hearing
loss in April 2010. In 2010, 510 old cases related to
monaural hearing loss were handled. The number
of occupational deafness in 2011 to 2015 has
included monaural hearing loss.
5
Pneumoconiosis

In 2015, there were 56 confirmed cases
of silicosis. Most of these cases worked
in the construction industry.

Those silicosis cases had history of
exposure to the silica dust in their
occupations many years ago. In the past
10 years, the number of confirmed cases
was in a decreasing trend but
occasionally with year on year fluctuation.

There was no confirmed
asbestosis in 2015.

In 2015, there were 31 confirmed cases
of tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm.
The disease was common among
services and sales workers, clerical
support
workers,
elementary
occupations, etc.

Distribution by industry of the 31 cases in
2015:
Number of Pneumoconiosis in 2006-2015
160
140
7
120
100
5
2
80
60
5
2
9
1
3
109
0
2
86
40
67
65
68
63
61
56
51
44
20
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Silicosis
of
Asbestosis
Tenosynovitis of the Hand or Forearm
Number of Tenosynovitis of the Hand or Forearm in
2006-2015
100
90
80
70
case
70
69
64
63
60
45.2% Public administration, and social
and personal services
22.6% Accommodation
and
food
services
9.7% Import/Export, wholesale and
retail trades
9.7% Manufacturing
3.2% Information and communications
3.2% Transportation, storage, postal
and courier services
3.2% Construction
3.2% Professional
and
business
services
48
50
40
40
39
38
35
31
30
20
10
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Gas Poisoning

Number of Gas Poisoning Cases in 2006-2015
45
40
35
30
25
15
10
17
17
20
5
3
5
11
4
1
4
14
5
3
5
4
2011
2012
2013
8
5
1
4
7
5
2014
2015
6
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
No. of incidents
No. of victims
6
There were 5 incidents of gas poisoning
in 2015 and 7 workers were injured. The
noxious chemical agents identified were
chlorine, sewage gas, etc.
Tuberculosis in Health Care Workers
Number of Tuberculosis in Health Care Workers in
2006-2015

Regarding the 9 cases of tuberculosis
confirmed in 2015, the disease most
commonly occurred among nurses,
doctors and other health associate
professionals, etc.

The causative agents for the 3 cases of
occupational dermatitis in 2015 were
related to beauty and medical materials.

In 2015, there were 2 confirmed cases
of compressed air illness. All of them
were engaged in compressed air work.
In 2015, there were 13 confirmed
cases of mesothelioma and most of the
in
the
cases
were
engaged
construction, quarry and shipbuilding
industries.
In 2015, there was 1 confirmed case of
occupational asthma and the worker
was a storage labourer.
In 2015, there was 1 confirmed case of
carpal tunnel syndrome and the worker
was a bar bender.
40
35
30
25
25
20
18
18
16
15
17
15
11
7
7
2013
2014
10
9
5
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2015
Occupational Dermatitis
Number of Occupational Dermatitis in 2006-2015
12
10
10
8
8
7
7
6
5
4
3
3
3
2
2
1
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Other Occupational Diseases
Number of Other Occupational Diseases
in 2006-2015
20

18
16
14
12
10

8
6

4
2
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Radiation illness
Cadmium poisoning
Occupational asthma
Streptococcus suis infection
Compressed air illness
Mesothelioma
Leptospirosis
Avian chlamydiosis
Brucellosis
Poisoning by halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series
Phosphorus poisoning
2014
2015
7
Definitions and further information
Occupational injuries (including industrial accidents) are injury cases arising from work accidents, resulting in
death or incapacity for work of over three days, and reported under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance.
Industrial accidents refer to injuries and deaths arising from industrial activities in industrial undertakings as
defined under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance.
Occupational diseases are the confirmed occupational diseases reported under the Employees’ Compensation
Ordinance, the Occupational Deafness (Compensation) Ordinance and the Pneumoconiosis and Mesothelioma
(Compensation) Ordinance.
Injury rate per 1 000 employees is calculated by:
Number of occupational injuries
*Employment size
x
1 000
x
1 000
Accident rate per 1 000 workers is calculated by:
Number of industrial accidents
*Employment size
*Figures of employment size are based on the Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics published
by the Census and Statistics Department.
The components that form the statistics may vary from country to country in respect of the legal
requirements in the reporting of accidents and occupational diseases, the economic sectors covered and
the definition of workforce. Accident and occupational disease statistics of different countries may not be
directly comparable and should therefore be interpreted with care.
#
Notes :
(a) Since 2009, the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies conducted by the Census and Statistics
Department has been enhanced to adopt the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0 to
replace the HSIC Version 1.1 in compiling the statistics on the number of establishments, persons engaged and
vacancies. Thenceforth all the statistics contained in the Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies
Statistics are in HSIC version 2.0. Only the coverage of the Construction Industry is the same in both HSIC
Version 1.1 and Version 2.0. Other industries, even with the same labels in HSIC Version 2.0, have different
coverage. For information of HSIC Version 1.1 and Version 2.0, please refer to the webpage of the Census and
Statistics Department.
(b)The number of occupational injuries/industrial accidents and injury/accident rates per 1 000 employees/workers
in 2009 and after are compiled based on HSIC Version 2.0, and may not be strictly comparable to those published
previously under HSIC Version 1.1.
For enquiry or further information relating to the accident statistics of this Bulletin,
please contact the Safety Management and Information Division at Tel 2815 0678 or Fax 2541 8537
For enquiry or further information relating to the occupational disease statistics of this Bulletin, please
contact the Occupational Medicine Division (Health Promotion) at
Tel 2852 4041 or Fax 2581 2049
For complaints regarding unsafe workplaces and practices,
please call the Support Services Division at Tel 2542 2172
All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence
Email : [email protected]
8