Hong Kong hospital construction works suspended after man allegedly falls to his death from bamboo scaffolding
- Labourer, 30, certified dead on the spot after sustaining massive head trauma at a construction site in Hong Kong’s Kwai Chung
- Development Bureau says it has also suspended the contractors involved in the project from tendering for public works contracts
Authorities have ordered the suspension of construction works at a hospital in Hong Kong’s Kwai Chung after a labourer allegedly fell to his death from bamboo scaffolding.
The Development Bureau said on Friday evening it had also suspended the contractors involved in the project from tendering for public works contracts.
An investigation was conducted immediately after authorities received a report on Thursday afternoon about a labourer who fell at the construction site of the phase two redevelopment of Kwai Chung Hospital, the Labour Department said.
The 30-year-old victim was certified dead on the spot after sustaining massive head trauma.
Hong Kong labourer falls to his death at construction site at hospital
A department spokesman said officers issued notices to the contractors to suspend the erection, alteration, dismantling and use of the bamboo scaffold on the external wall of the building at the construction site.
“The contractors cannot resume the work process until the [Labour Department] is satisfied that measures to minimise the risks have been taken,” the spokesman said.
The department said they were “highly concerned” about the fatal accident and expressed their deepest sympathy to the victim’s family.
It added it would complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause, and take legal action against any violation of work safety legislation.
“We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures,” the department said.
“We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
A Development Bureau spokesman said the contractors must conduct an independent audit of the safety management system, submit an improvement action plan and implement the measures before it would consider lifting the suspension.
Tse Yan-yin, a representative from the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, told a radio show on Friday morning that the victim’s family hoped authorities would conduct a thorough investigation and reveal the findings as soon as possible.
“It is devastating that the victim’s father has to see his child pass away before himself,” she said, adding that the association hoped the contractor would offer to assist in the funeral arrangements for the victim.
2 die, 3 injured after scaffolding collapses at Hong Kong construction site
According to information from the Architectural Services Department, the construction work at the hospital is contracted to Shui On Joint Venture.
The contractor told local media on Thursday they were saddened by the death and that the victim was a supervisor hired by the subcontractor.
It added that staff would fully cooperate with authorities to investigate the cause of the accident.
The second and third phases of the hospital’s redevelopment, which commenced in 2019 and was aimed for completion in 2025, included demolishing existing structures and building a new main block and one for children.
In February, two women workers died after bamboo scaffolding collapsed at a 30-storey building in Kai Tak.
