Hong Kong contractors will be required to provide proof that the scaffolding mesh they use is fire-retardant while samples will also be tested at laboratories under a series of measures rolled out by the government in the wake of the deadly inferno in Tai Po.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on Thursday that nets could only be used after their samples passed laboratory tests, while the authorities would also conduct random checks on installed mesh.
She said the new rules would not only cover buildings undergoing major maintenance, but also new blocks under construction, with some flexibility.
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Noting surging demand for nets and testing, Linn said the Construction Industry Council would also source scaffold mesh via central procurement. She said the council’s central procurement process would speed up delivery.
“We expect the first batch of mesh will arrive in two weeks. It will take less than a week for sample collection and tests,” she said.
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“We expect the first batch of scaffolding nets will be installed in a month.”
She added that the government was seeking more labs for testing, while contractors could collect mesh samples either from their sites or government-provided public locations.