Union says manhole gas accident happened at same place 18 years ago

23-04-2024 10:48 HKT

A construction workers' union said on Tuesday that the Drainage Services Department has not learned its lesson in safeguarding the well-being of workers, with the manhole gas accident in Sha Tin late Monday being a repeat of a similar accident that happened 18 years ago in the exact same place.

Two sewer maintenance workers died after inhaling toxic gas in a manhole at Yuen Wo Playground late on Monday. Authorities’ initial investigation found that the two dead, along with two other men also working inside the manhole, inhaled hydrogen sulfide.

The Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union said this morning that a similar accident had happened in 2006 at the same location, also resulting in the death of two workers.

The accident in August 2006 saw two night shift workers dead. According to reports, one worker had fallen unconscious inside the underground sewer after inhaling toxic gas, the other worker also fell unconscious trying to rescue his partner. The pair were only discovered after four hours.

The union expressed its condolences to the families of the two workers who died in Sha Tin, also slamming the Drainage Services Department for not learning its lesson from past tragedies.

The union strongly demanded that the Labour Department and the Drainage Services Department immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the fatal industrial accident and publicly release the investigation report.

The Labour Department must learn its lesson and promptly review any regulatory and enforcement loopholes, and take swift action to rectify deficiencies and effectively enhance regulatory inspections, the union said.

It is the responsibility of the authorities to protect workers' rights, especially when it comes to workplace safety, and to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents, it added.