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Three Hong Kong workers died in what is called 'the darkest day' of the construction industry

Writer's picture: AfriHKa AfriHKa

Three Hong Kong workers died in separate industrial accidents on Saturday, in what one concern group called the construction industry's "darkest day".

A string of events has prompted lawmakers to urge authorities to ensure employers are aware of recent changes to occupational health and safety legislation, such as hefty fines for serious breaches.


At around 4 p.m., a 40-year-old man was crushed to death when a wall collapsed while demolishing a village house in Tin Liu Village, Yuen Long.

Firefighters dug the man from the rubble and sent him to Pok Oi Hospital, where he was certified dead at around 5pm.

Police inspected the scene, which was strewn with bricks and debris, trying to figure out what caused the crash.

Half an hour earlier, a 34-year-old man died after an accident at a construction site on Sky City East Road near Hong Kong International Airport. The man was suspected of being electrocuted while working on the suspended ceiling and was later certified dead at North Lantau Hospital.

A 54-year-old man who was working at the Yuen Fat pier and warehouse reconstruction site in Cheung Sha Wan collapsed on the stairs at around 8 am. Fortunately, there were no obvious injuries.

He was taken to the Caritas Medical Center in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, where he was certified dead shortly after arrival.

The Labor Department said it was investigating two accidents in Chek Lap Kok and Yuen Long.

The last wave of deadly industrial accidents led authorities in April to increase the maximum penalties for such incidents under the Occupational Safety and Occupational Health Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill.

The most serious offenses carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of up to HK$10 million (US$1.27 million).

The Industrial Accident Victims' Rights Association said on social media that it was "the darkest day for the construction industry".

The group said it had contacted the sister of the 40-year-old man who died when the wall collapsed, but was still trying to contact the families of the other two victims as of Saturday night.

Fay Siu Sin-man, chief executive of the association, said incidents like Saturday's were not uncommon and reflected a lack of vigilance in the construction industry regarding worker safety, despite incidents in the past.

Employers should ensure that all electrical circuits at construction sites are disconnected and post warning signs to prevent electrocution, she warned, saying the collapse of walls could be caused by the instability of the temporary frame structure.


三名香港工人死亡,被称为建筑业“最黑暗的一天”


周六,三名香港工人在不同的工业事故中死亡,一个关注团体称这是建筑业的“最黑暗的一天”。


一系列事件促使立法者敦促当局确保雇主了解职业健康和安全立法的最新变化,例如对严重违规行为处以巨额罚款。


下午4时左右,元朗田寮村拆除村屋时,墙体倒塌,一名40岁男子被压死。


消防队员从废墟中挖出该男子,并将他送往博爱医院,下午5点左右被证实死亡。


警方检查了布满砖块和碎片的现场,试图找出事故原因。


半小时前,一名34岁男子在香港国际机场附近航天城东路一处建筑工地发生意外死亡。 该男子怀疑在吊顶工作时触电,其后在北大屿山医院证实死亡。


一名54岁男子于上午8时左右在长沙湾源发码头及仓库重建工地工作时倒在楼梯上。 幸运的是,没有造成明显的伤害。


他被送往九龙深水埗明爱医疗中心,抵达后不久被证实死亡。


劳工处表示,正在调查赤鱲角和元朗两起意外。


上一波致命工业事故导致当局在四月份根据《职业安全和职业健康立法(杂项修正案)法案》提高了对此类事件的最高处罚力度。


最严重的罪行最高可判处两年监禁和最高 1000 万港元(127 万美元)的罚款。


工业事故受害者权利协会在社交媒体上表示,这是“建筑业最黑暗的一天”。


该组织表示,已联系了墙体倒塌时死亡的 40 岁男子的妹妹,但截至周六晚仍在尝试联系其他两名受害者的家人。


该协会首席执行官费绍先文表示,像周六这样的事件并不罕见,尽管过去曾发生过此类事件,但反映出建筑行业对工人安全缺乏警惕。


她警告说,雇主应确保建筑工地的所有电路均已断开,并张贴警告标志,以防止触电。 她表示,临时框架结构的不稳定可能会导致墙壁倒塌。

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