Safety first and foremost, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) aims to enhance safety awareness among the construction industry and raise safety standards on sites. Much headway has been made in the past decade to lower construction accident rate per 1000 workers from 52.1 in 2010 to 26.1 in 2020. Industrial accidents were tragedies in nature, yet we should also take it as a valuable lesson to learn. As we work as one, we grieve as one, CIC encourages the industry to mourn for our late co-workers and be mindful of the creed of “Life First, Safety First.”.
Three fatal accidents happened in April and May, and representatives from different sectors of the industry, including the government, main contractors and subcontractors came together and attended the silent tributes events held in the Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIC) in May. Mr. FONG Hok-shing, Michael, Director of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), Ir Dr. PANG Yat-bond, Derrick, Chairperson of CIC’s Committee on Construction Safety, Mr. CHU Tat-chi, Managing Director of Hip Hing Construction and Mr. Tsang Ting-fat, Director of Tin Wo Engineering Co. Ltd and Honorary President of Hong Kong Bar-Bending Contractors Association, have visited the Kowloon Bay Campus of HKIC to share their experience and safety messages with students.
Director of CEDD: Achieve “Zero Accidents” by Instilling Safety Concept Among Workers
The deceased are survived by their families, Mr. Michael FONG reminded students to always think before they act as their safety affects the whole family. He hoped that safety awareness could be rooted in their hearts. “The construction industry is entering a ‘Golden Era’ as huge number of projects are ready to commence, and you will become the backbone of our industry. We have seen good examples to proof that it is not impossible to achieve “Zero Accidents”. I hope the importance of safety can become part of your work DNA, so that you will be able to protect yourselves and your colleagues in the future.” He said.
Committee on Construction Safety: Prioritise Safety Over Work
Ir Dr. Derrick PANG urged students to live out the motto of “Everyone has a role to play in ensuring a safe environment”, he told them “most of the companies care about safety issues, your seniors will definitely follow up as long as you raise your concerns.” He emphasised that management is responsible for conducting risk assessment while frontline workers should understand risks and collaborate with their co-workers on safety issues, and always prioritise safety over work. “You are responsible for yourselves, your families and your colleagues, don’t be selfish when you spot potential risks.” He added.
Main Contractor: Walk in Other People’s Shoes
Accidents are unexpected but avoidable if workers go by the book. Mr. CHU Tat-chi advised students to walk in the shoes of frontline workers and act pre-emptively against risk. “As a management staff, you have to take every aspects into account because accidents does not only affect one life but a family.”
Bar-Bending Contractors Association: Be Prepared and Focus on the Long-run
Mr. TSANG Ting-fat has more than 40 years of experience in the industry, he asked students to equip themselves and stay focused on the long-run. “Workers are prone to accidents if they switch jobs frequently which makes it difficult for them to familiarise with the working environments.” He said.
After a moment of silence, the lecturer of Safety Training reviewed the accidents with students, and he advised students to identify potential dangers by “4M1E”, namely Man, Machine, Material, Method and Environment. He suggested students to formulate safety procedures before work commencement, remind frontline workers of safety precautions and inspect regularly with certificated personnel to make sure workplaces are in safe working condition. He advised students to ask and seek help from their seniors as needed in order to avoid putting themselves in danger.
CIC is devoted to enhancing safety awareness among the construction industry, apart from publishing safety guidelines and videos, CIC also organises safety training programmes. All of the three aforementioned accidents were caused by falls from height. In order to prevent accidents involving working at height, CIC has actively promoted the adoption of innovative technologies such as MiC which encourages offsite fabrication. In promoting the “Life First” message, CIC will continue with the multi-pronged approach and work hand-in-hand with the industry.
