Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung has pledged enhanced services for the elderly and the disabled.

Speaking at the Good Housekeeping Forum and Award Presentation Ceremony today, he said the Occupational Safety & Health Council will work with the Government to strengthen support for workers at residential care homes for the elderly and disabled.

The council will also join with the Labour Department to further promote work safety to employers and workers in the renovation and maintenance sectors.

Mr Cheung said occupational safety and health standards have continued to improve. The number of work injuries and the accident rate per thousand workers declined from 58,841 and 24.3 in 1999 to 41,900 and 15.8 in 2008, down 28.8% and 35%.

Industrial accidents and the accident rate per thousand workers reduced from 11,434 and 27.2 in the first three quarters of 2008 to 10,210 and 24.8 in the corresponding period last year.

In the construction industry the number of accidents declined 7.5% from 2,253 in the first three quarters of 2008 to 2,083 in the corresponding period in 2009 while the accident rate per thousand workers decreased 7.9% to 56.