HONG KONG TOYS COUNCIL

Code of Practice adopted by
HONG KONG TOYS COUNCIL
for Toy Industry

Preamble

The Hong Kong Toys Council has long recognized that there should be a safe and healthful working environment for those employed in the manifacture of toys. Accordingly, members of the Council agree that they will exercise to the best of their ability to provide and mantain a safe working environment for employees working within their factory premises. Working conditions within these premises would also be closely monitored and reviewed by the management with the help of a safety management system to anhance employees' understanding of in-house safety rules and regulations, and their obligations under such.

To make clear to toy manufacturers with regard to their responsability to prevent workplace accidents and promote safety at work, a Code of Practice is drafted for the adoption of Council members. The Code is not a declaration but an indication of the determination of members of the Council to improve workplace safety standards.

The Code

1. Factory proprietors should ensure that there are adequate means of fire escapes and fire-fighting equipement in the factory. In order to facilitate speedy escape of persons from the workplace in case of fire, all routes of escape as doorways, passageways and staircases should be mantained in good condition and free from obstruction. Adequate emergency evacuation training for employees must be given and regular fire-drills are strongly recommended.

2. In the event that dangerous goods are stored and used within factory premises, proprietors must ensure that adequate means of health and safety precautions compatible with international standards are provided for their staff. Every container holding a dangerous substance should be labelled in such a way that the particulars of the subtance can be read easily. To protect their staff from respiratory diseases, proprietors are required to install and mantain a good ventilation system within factory premises.

3. Local industrial and fire safety regulations or equivalent standards set by international labour treaty are the minimum standards of reference to be observed and met by factory proprietors.

4. Staff dormitory should not be located at any floor/floors of the factory building. To give workers a better living environment and avoid overcrowing, dormitory provided by factory proprietors should accomodate an appropriate number of residents compatible with the floor area of the dormitory.

5. Employers must make ensure that no forced or underage workers are employed to produce toys, wholly or in part.

6. The normal daily working hours should be in line with local labour regulations and at least one rest day must be provided each week. Subject to concurrance of both parties, workers may be requested to work overtime with due compensation. The maximum number of hours for workers who are engaged in part-time or temporary employment should be governed by applicable local legislation.

7. To control job hazards at an early stage, employers should constantly remind their employees to take a more proactive role in reporting these potential hazards to the management whenever they are identified.

8. Employers should develop a safety training programme to equip their staff with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform their duties in a safe manner.

9. Workers should be permitted to establish their own union. They should also be garanteed with collective bargaining power and be allowed to participate at safety committee meetings so that they could freely express their views regarding production safety.

10. Workers should be compensated in accordance with all prevailing local labour legislation.

11. Workers committee with wide representation, including employees, from all major aspects of the operation should be formed by the management. Regular meetings for this committee should be held so that employees' views could be properly reflected and instant remedial measures be taken by the management.

12. To promote wider acceptance of the Code, it is recommended that manufacturers should make the same Code applicable to their contractors.

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