Hong Kong firms set to return to projects as new scaffolding nets expected soon
Deadly Tai Po blaze triggered the citywide removal of protective mesh at around 420 buildings undergoing renovations
The Construction Industry Council planned to procure 50,000 scaffolding nets, costing HK$170 (US$21.80) each, with the first batch of 12,000 expected to be ready on January 15, executive director Albert Cheng Ting-ning said on Wednesday.
Cheng said the price, which was higher than before, included fees for laboratory tests required under a new regulatory regime on the material, as well as a tag system to trace the material from its origin.
“These nets have undergone many rounds of tests. The price is a little higher, but this is to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property. I don’t think prices should be compared with safety,” he said. “We hope all the nets can arrive within a month.”
Priority for receiving nets would be given for buildings that had almost completed their renovations, Cheng added.
The council is providing interim central procurement for sourcing and testing scaffolding nets after the government ordered the citywide removal of mesh at buildings undergoing major renovation and introduced a new regulatory regime for the material.