Hong Kong authorities are investigating whether a contractor involved in a fatal work incident took the necessary precautions during a rainstorm, the city’s labour minister has said as he urged employers to ensure a safe work environment during adverse weather.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that contractors had to exercise “extra caution” during poor weather, following an industrial incident two days ago in which a worker was killed by a falling steel beam at a site near the border crossing facilities of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
“Under the law, employers have a statutory duty to ensure a safe environment for workers to work, especially when the weather is bad,” he said.
“If construction work is required during a red rainstorm warning, extra caution must be exercised and preventive measures must be taken.
“Our investigation will also look in this direction, especially whether the employer took sufficient precautions to ensure that the risk of accidents was minimised.”
The minister urged employers to take precautions, adding that the Labour Department had clear guidelines and would also step up inspections.
An investigation into the fatal incident by the department was under way.
