Hong Kong authorities issued 21 fixed-penalty notices to workers in the first six days of a citywide ban on smoking at construction sites, the labour commissioner has revealed, describing the situation as not ideal.
Commissioner for Labour Sam Hui Chark-shum said on Saturday that about 530 construction sites had been inspected during the first six days of the ban, which took effect on July 17.
Apart from the 21 fixed-penalty tickets, authorities also issued five improvement notices to contractors, with one case currently undergoing evidence evaluation for potential prosecution, he said.
Authorities also issued about 300 written and verbal warnings and suggestions, mostly involving the basic management of no-smoking measures, such as whether site boundaries and posted no-smoking notices were clear, he added.
“We issued a total of 21 fixed-penalty notices. Out of more than 500 construction sites, 21 works out at about three or four notices per 100 sites,” Hui said on a television programme.
“This situation is not entirely ideal, but it is not severe either.”
The new ban was introduced after the devastating fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate, which killed 168 people last November and was suspected to have been caused by workers smoking while carrying out renovations.
