The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) attaches much importance to the safety of tower cranes and lifting operations in construction projects, and has adopted a three-pronged approach to enhance site safety standards comprising strengthening specification provisions, introducing a performance monitoring mechanism and promoting site safety awareness.

     "We firmly believe that site accidents are preventable, and developing safe working practices and behaviour is essential to inculcating a safety culture," a spokesman for the HA said today (November 26).

     Lifting operations are a high-risk construction activity. Under the HA's regulations, all contractors are required to observe the relevant code of practice and safety guidelines issued by the Labour Department and the Construction Industry Council.

     The HA also has specific qualification requirements for personnel involved in tower crane and lifting operations, including the tower crane operator, slinger, signaller, supervising engineer and mechanical engineer. Moreover, a lifting co-ordinator is required when a special lifting operation is involved.

     For tower cranes with overlapping working radii, anti-collision systems have to be put into place and danger areas or operations are to be fenced off by barriers provided with warning notices to prevent unauthorised workers from entering the danger areas. Moreover, video surveillance systems with recording functions are to be provided for the jib or trolley of tower cranes, and also at lower level of lifting zones.

     "We closely monitor the contractors' performance in the lifting operations of tower cranes. It is included in the critical pass items of the Housing Authority Safety Auditing System (HASAS) and in the target activities of the Surprise Safety Inspection Programme (SSIP). Unsatisfactory performance in a critical pass item of the HASAS or target activity of the SSIP will trigger the alert and warning system, in which case the respective contractor's performance report will be reviewed by the Contractors Review Committee for necessary action and sanction if so warranted," the spokesman said.

     "In order to encourage contractors to improve site safety performance, the HASAS and SSIP scores are merged into the safety score in Contractors' Performance Assessment Scoring System and linked to the Integrated Pay for Safety, Environment and Hygiene Scheme - the higher the score, the better the remuneration," the spokesman added.

     In 2010, the HA published a safety handbook on tower crane safe lifting operations. The HA also held a site safety forum and site safety seminars with topical presentations focusing on tower crane lifting operations. Effort was also made to foster safe work behaviour through organising a related competition in 2015.

     "We will continue to review the effectiveness of our measures for enhancement so as to foster safe lifting operations of tower cranes in our developments," the spokesman said.

Ends/Sunday, November 26, 2017
Issued at HKT 10:00

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