Fire safety risks still persist on building sites across Hong Kong following the deadly blaze in Tai Po, the city’s construction industry watchdog has warned, after a scaffolding worker in a major subsidised estate was sacked for smoking.
Thomas Ho On-sing, chairman of the Construction Industry Council, on Saturday criticised the industry for failing to “learn a lesson” from the Tai Po tragedy.
“I have been inspecting construction sites recently and found that many still have styrofoam boards and volatile paint. They also continue to use flammable materials for covering objects,” he told a radio programme.
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“When they were removing scaffolding nets, they climbed up and down without safety belts. They have not learned a lesson from the pain.”
Ho said cigarette butts could still be found in dark corners and even in hazardous spots on construction sites.
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“We must remove all potential sources of fire and flammable materials from construction sites, without any compromise,” he said.