The Occupational Safety and Health Council fosters a safe and healthy working environment in Hong Kong through training, promotion, consultancy, information services and research. It operates in close partnership with the Labour Department.

The opening of the Kwun Tong Regional Centre in March 2004 marked a new milestone in the council's 15 years of development. A total of 27 000 people attended 1 210 training courses organised by the council in 2004. Apart from the popular practical sessions on fork lift truck operation, gas welding and working in confined spaces, new classroom training courses, such as safe transport of medical waste, slope safety repair work, workplace hygiene for manufacturing industry and courses tailor-made for Safety and Health Environmental Supervisors in the construction industry, were introduced to meet the demand of the public.

To make safety and health training more accessible to the public, the council collaborated with a publisher on the very first textbook on Occupational Safety and Health Supervisors Training, which is available at major bookstores in Hong Kong and Macao. Taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the latest information technology, the council developed the online e-OSH learning platform to disseminate information and support interactive learning about occupational safety and health. A new set of online risk assessments for display screen equipment was also launched in 2004 to assist the public to meet the legislative requirements. The council also published new training kits focusing on safety and health issues for the retail, community and personal services sectors.

The council supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by providing them with special discounts on training course fees. Other initiatives to enhance the safety performance of SMEs include the newly introduced Safety and Health Improvement Partnership Scheme and the Safe Work in Confined Space Funding Scheme. These initiatives aim to provide SMEs with much needed technical support, consultancy services and financial assistance. Tertiary institutes were also commissioned to conduct research on the safety design of business facilities for SMEs.

In addition, the council set up the new Property Management and Cleaning Committee to enhance the safety and health practices of the property management and cleaning trade with special focus on renovation work safety during the year.

The council hosted the 12th Quadripartite OSH Seminar in November 2004 to provide a platform for effective communication between safety professionals in the Mainland, Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong. Taking this cooperation further, the council organised the first Macao, Guangzhou and Hong Kong Safety Quiz in 2004 to enhance the understanding of safety legislation and practices among the three regions. As the affiliate 'safe community support centre' of the World Health Organisation, the council continues to promote safety and health at the district and community levels. A new safe community was set up in Tung Chung, in addition to the Tuen Mun, Kwai Tsing, Tai Po and Sham Shui Po safe communities.