Experts call on Hong Kong government to take falling objects at hospitals as wake-up call to review safety of all buildings
- Inspect all government buildings and public institutions, says veteran structural engineer
- Safety in public hospitals has recently been under spotlight following spate of falling items
A recent spate of falling items in Hong Kong’s public hospitals should serve as a wake-up call for the government and public institutions to review the safety of their buildings and their maintenance plans, industry experts have said.
Veteran structural engineer Ngai Hok-yan told the Post on Saturday authorities should inspect their facilities and make necessary repairs to prevent more mishaps.
“The incidents in public hospitals have sounded an alarm to the government and other public institutions about the structural safety of their buildings and the soundness of their maintenance regimes,” he said.
“It’s like doing a body check. They should conduct a wholesale review of their buildings to see if there are potential problems that need immediate repairs. They should not wait for other mishaps or problems to surface or a point of no return.”
Ngai advised the government and others to target old buildings first and conduct spot tests on concrete slabs and steel bars to see if any immediate repairs were needed.
