Bridge death firms fined

Two construction companies have been fined HK$30,000 each over an industrial accident at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, in which two workers were killed and three others hurt.

The accident happened in March 2017, when the workers were dismantling a working platform underneath a viaduct. Three fell three meters into the sea as the platform collapsed and two of them died.

WSS Engineering Systems and United Construction & Manpower Service were convicted at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday of failing to ensure the safety and health of employees.

Magistrate Lam Tsz-kan slammed the two companies for "turning a blind eye to the safety of working conditions" and not fulfilling their responsibilities as employers.

Four victims, including two deceased and two injured, were hired by the two firms.

Meanwhile, engineering consultancy company Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong and its former employee Thomas Wong Kwan-ho were acquitted of charges they faced over the incident.

The company, employed by the highways department to advise contractors, was charged with failing to provide and maintain a safe plant and work system, and failing to provide information, instruction, training and supervision for employees' safety at industrial sites.

Wong, who inspected the construction site shortly before the accident, faced one count of willfully endangering the employees himself and other people. But Lam ruled that as the consultancy firm was responsible for giving advice only, it had no legal liability to ensure the safety of the works.

Lam said the company had complained to contractors that the process of dismantling the temporary working platform was not properly approved, but they did not follow up.

Lam said it could not be proved that Wong deliberately caused the accident.

mandy.zheng@singtaonewscorp.com