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Paul Y. General Contractors Limited and its sub-contractor were fined $45,000 and $30,000 respectively at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (October 16) for violations of the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on September 20 last year on a construction site at Ho Man Tin. The accident involved two workers falling about six metres from a metal scaffold. They were both injured and one of them later died.
According to Regulation 38B(1) and 38B(1A) of the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations, contractors shall take adequate steps to prevent any person on site from falling from a height of two metres or more. Any contractor who fails to do so is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for 12 months.
According to Sections 6A(1), 6A(2)(a), 6A(3) and 13(1) of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, proprietors must provide and maintain a system of work that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health of the persons employed. Any proprietor who fails to do so is liable to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
Ends/Friday, October 16, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:06
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