LD urges for professional design and approval for bamboo scaffolding

The Labour Department has underscored the importance of having bamboo scaffolding designed and approved by professional engineers, in accordance with the department's stringent regulations. This directive comes with a mandate for the use of appropriate and compliant components.

Recent incidents have underscored the risks associated with bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong. To address these concerns, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) hosted a seminar dedicated to bamboo scaffolding safety, which was attended by over 5,000 industry professionals.

Matthew Ngan Juen-tak, a Divisional Occupational Safety Officer, analyzed a recent scaffolding accident involving more than 20 workers who were renovating the exterior wall of a building. The workers had erected extensive bamboo scaffolding from the second floor to the rooftop. Tragically, the structure collapsed, resulting in the death of one worker and injuries to several others. Ngan pinpointed the absence of professional design as the main cause of the collapse.

He also pointed out that the diameter of the bamboo scaffold's putlogs ranged from 1.06 mm to 2.34 mm, which is significantly below the minimum required diameter of 6 mm as per safety regulations.

Ngan emphasized the critical need for bamboo scaffolding to be professionally designed and approved, ensuring adherence to all relevant Labour Department regulations and the utilization of adequate and specified components.

CIC chairman Thomas Ho On-sing stressed the importance of pre-construction discussions among structural engineers, chief supervisors, and qualified personnel to prevent unauthorized changes to the scaffolding, especially concerning the putlogs.

Ho also criticized the common practice of employing multiple subcontractors in engineering projects, referring to it as a "source of evil" linked to numerous industrial accidents. He suggested limiting the number of subcontracting tiers to three to improve both safety and quality.

Furthermore, Ho Chi-ming, a member of the Committee on Construction Safety, proposed strict measures for modifying putlogs. He recommended that any modification should be supervised by a qualified person and two scaffolding workers, a safety protocol that could result in costs exceeding HK$10,000 per day.

However, he emphasized that such expenses are vital investments in safety, ultimately benefiting owners, contractors, workers, and the broader community by promoting a safer working environment.