Permanent Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Matthew Cheung has expressed concern over rising workplace injuries.

In the past two years there has been a rising trend in occupational injuries concerning the lifting or carrying objects that resulted in incapacity exceeding three days to an employee. The number of injuries has risen from 7,800 cases in 2003 to 8,400 last year, while the cases involving back injuries rose from 3,900 to over 4,000.

He said today that work injuries hurt employers, employees and the community as a whole. The average number of work days lost due to back injury is 32, some 11% more than other types of injury. Also, 12% of back injuries cost over 60 work days.

The Labour Department conducts regular workplace inspections. It has stepped up inspections of restaurants to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in catering workers. There were 398 inspections conducted in the first nine months of this year, resulting in the issue of seven improvement notices and 55 warning letters.