*****************************************************
Eight contractors of works projects under the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) were commended today (March 25) for their outstanding safety performance in 2010.
Speaking at the second CEDD Construction Site Safety Award presentation ceremony today, the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Hon Chi-keung, said the CEDD accorded high priority to construction safety.
"It is a must for our contractors to provide a safe working environment for their employees and frontline workers so that all construction works can be carried out safely and effectively, " Mr Hon said.
"With good progress being made in large-scale infrastructure projects, more and more people are joining the construction industry. It will be a great challenge to the industry to ensure a safe working environment for all staff, including the unskilled ones," he said.
To further foster the safety culture and raise the safety standard at CEDD's construction sites, the department has implemented a number of initiatives in recent years, including the launch of a new award scheme for commendable construction site safety performance in 2009.
There are two types of award under the scheme - quarterly commendation letters and the yearly CEDD Construction Site Safety Award. A total of 47 commendation letters were issued to 18 contractors and eight of them were presented with the safety awards today for their commendable safety performance in 2010.
"The award scheme has been well received by the contractors and has been effective in encouraging them to put their best efforts towards raising the safety standard at CEDD construction sites," Mr Hon said.
Ends/Friday, March 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:41
NNNN
