The aim of the accreditation services of Accredited Safety Supervisor (Construction)(ASS(CO)) is to ensure that ASS(CO)s possess the necessary qualifications and capability in performing the specified duties to assist the proprietor and the safety officer in promoting the safety and health of persons employed. The safety supervisor is expected to be experienced in the work of the construction site and should have relevant knowledge.

Working Experience

• Applicant should possess 3 years or more of working experience in construction industry (e.g. site frontline supervisory staff, site supervisor, site foreman, etc.) (applicant would need to produce documentary proof of relevant working experience by the employer(s)); and

• Applicant should complete and submit an inspection report of construction site that meets the prescribed standards (e.g. the unsafe conditions and hazards on site should be identified by using photos and checklists; its recommendations for any necessary improvements should be included). The construction site used for conducting safety inspection should be at acceptable scale (e.g. new building construction project; civil works project; repair, maintenance, alteration and addition works project; and the total number of persons employed at that construction site is 20 or more).

Training
• Meet either one of the following conditions

• Successfully completed the Certificate in Safety and Health for Supervisors (Construction) course provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC) or the Construction Safety Supervisor Course provided by the Construction Industry Council (CIC); the applicant should have completed the course within four years from the date of application; or

• Successfully completed the Course for Safety and Health Supervisor (Construction), provided by a training course provider which is on the Labour Department's approved list of training providers for the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Courses (commonly known as "Green Card") and the SS course is granted the accreditation status at Qualifications Framework ( QF ) Level 3 under the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ); the applicant should have completed the course within four years from the date of application; or

• For applicants who have successfully completed the course mentioned in (1) or (2) but the completion time is more than four years from the date of application : he or she should have successfully completed an Enhancement Course for Safety Supervisors (Construction) (ESS) organized by the OSHC or CIC#; or

• Successfully completed the Course for Safety and Health Supervisor (Construction), provided by a training course provider which is on the Labour Department's approved list of training providers for the Mandatory Basic Safety Training Courses (commonly known as "Green Card") but that course is not granted the accreditation status at QF Level 3 under the HKCAAVQ, the applicant should submit SS course content to the HKSHCS to demonstrate the course content conforms to the stipulated standards*. If the course was completed within four years from the date of application, applicant should take and pass an examination. If the course was completed more than four years from the date of application; applicant should have successfully completed the Enhancement Course for Safety Supervisors (Construction) (ESS) organized by the OSHC or CIC#.

  *	The Hong Kong Safety and Health Certification Scheme regards the course content of Certificate in Safety and Health for Supervisors (Construction) Course organized by the OSHC and the Construction Safety Supervisor Course organized by CIC as the standard (including entry prerequisites, course content, course duration, assessment method, lecturers' qualifications, etc).

  
  

  #	Applicant may request to take the examination. However, applicant will be required to complete the Certificate in Safety and Health for Supervisors (Construction) Course organized by the OSHC or Construction Safety Supervisor Course organized by CIC if they failed in the examination.

• ASS(CO) Renewal:

• The ASS(CO) accreditation is valid for four years.

• Criteria for Renewal:

• Maintaining his / her competence by completing a total of not less than 30 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units in the 4 years immediately preceding his / her renewal application from the CPD activities conducted by the Government, Government related organisations, professional bodies, educational institutions, etc, such as training courses, conferences, seminars, symposiums, forums, workshops, briefing session, etc.

• Act professionally, accurately, genuinely and in an unbiased manner;
• Strive to increase the competence and prestige of the safety supervising profession;
• Not act in any way that may prejudice his/her continued accreditation as ASS(CO) of the HKSHCS and to co-operate fully with an enquiry in the event of any alleged breach of the codes, rules, regulations, guidance and practice notes, etc. of the HKSHCS;
• Not to solicit or accept any inducement, commission, gift, any other benefit or any advantages as defined in the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance from any interested party or knowingly allow colleagues to do so;
• Avoid and declare any actual/perceived conflict of interest;
• Not disclose confidential information;
• Attain professional competence through specific education and training in professionally relevant subjects;
• Maintain professional competence through continuing professional education and awareness of developments in the safety profession including relevant Hong Kong and international development of safety and health technology, and other relevant regulations and statutory requirements; and
• Know and comply with the relevant legal requirements and regulations so far as they are applicable to the work being done.

• If sufficient information shows that the Accredited OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons may have caused or contributed to the occurrence of a circumstance when regulatory action could be applied to him/her, e.g. breaching the Code of Conduct or obtaining accreditation / renewal by means of any misleading, false or fraudulent representation or statement, etc., the HKSHCS will prepare an information paper for the HKSHCS Steering Committee to review the situation and recommend whether regulatory action against the Accredited OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons should be conducted.
• Regulatory actions could be one or a combination of the following: warning letter, suspension / termination of accreditation, assignment and/or specific safety training, etc.
• The HKSHCS will notify the Accredited OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons of the decision of the HKSHCS Steering Committee and such decision should usually be notified within 4 weeks after the confirmation by the HKSHCS Steering Committee.
• The condition to lift the regulatory action approved by the HKSHCS Steering Committee should be specified in the notification letter to the Accredited OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons. If the Accredited OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons cannot fulfil the condition for lifting the regulatory action within the specified period, the HKSHCS will recommend follow-up action for the HKSHCS Steering Committee's approval.
• Provided that where the OSH Practitioners or Competent Persons have genuine reasons for being unable to comply with the regulatory action specified in the notification letter, the HKSHCS may at its discretion defer compliance by the Accredited OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons to a later date and the suspension can be lifted in the meantime.
• The suspension of OSH Practitioners or Competent Persons can be lifted after fulfilling the condition(s) as set by the HKSHCS Steering Committee.
• Terminated OSH Practitioners or Competent Persons can only re-apply for accreditation after a specified period to be considered and approved by the HKSHCS Steering Committee.
• Once the accreditation is terminated / suspended, the OSH Practitioners or Competent Persons should be notified in writing. The HKSHCS may impose specific conditions for the termination / suspension according to the decision of the HKSHCS Steering Committee. The terminated / suspended OSH Practitioners and Competent Persons shall be removed from the Accreditation Register and Accreditation List.
• If the accredited OSH Practitioners or Competent Persons have an objection to the decision of the HKSHCS Steering Committee on their suspension / termination of accreditation, the accredited OSH Practitioners or Competent Persons may appeal according to the following procedures.

• All appeal cases against decisions made by the Steering Committee should be referred to and handled by the HKSHCS.
• If the complainant is still not satisfied with the outcome, appeal cases should be referred to the HKSHCS for review, the cases would be handled by the appeal panel, when necessary. The decision of the HKSHCS appeal panel is final.