A spokesman for the Development Bureau (DEVB) said today (October 14) that the Government attaches great importance to construction site safety. In response to the fatal industrial incident at the construction site in Ho Man Tin yesterday (October 13), the DEVB, being the party to procure services for public works, has suspended the contractor concerned from tendering for public works contracts pursuant to the regulating regime. 

     The spokesman said that the contractor concerned was under the List of Approved Contractors for Public Works. The DEVB issued a notification to the contractor concerned today to suspend it from tendering for public works contracts in buildings category with immediate effect. The contractor concerned has to conduct an independent safety audit to review its safety management system. Taking cognisance of the outcome of the independent safety audit, the contractor is required to submit an improvement action plan and implement improvement measures, with a view to demonstrating that it has an effective safety management system before uplifting of the suspension from tendering can be considered. The suspension from tendering is not only confined to future tender exercises but is also applicable to tender exercises with procedures initiated but not concluded.

     The Labour Department is investigating this industrial incident and will handle it in accordance with the law. Subject to the investigation findings, the DEVB will impose further regulating actions on the contractor concerned later on, including extension of the period of suspension from tendering for public works contracts and even removal from the List.

Ends/Monday, October 14, 2024
Issued at HKT 15:45

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