Hong Kong launches probes into deadly crane accident

Hong Kong’s Labour Department and the police force have initiated probes into a fatal industrial accident on Anderson Road in Sau Mau Ping, where a tower crane collapsed and took the lives of three workers.  

Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he was “very concerned” about the case and expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims’ families and the injured workers.  

He said the inquiry led by the Labour Department and experts will investigate the cause of the collapse and look into who should be held accountable. The police force will investigate whether negligence was involved and submit a report to the coroner.  

The former security chief added that the force would launch criminal investigations if negligent conduct was found.  

Lee also noted that authorities will assist the victims’ families in seeking compensation.  

The Hong Kong leader said the Labour Department has since suspended all crane operations at the Anderson Road site, and prohibited the use of cranes at other construction sites by the same contractor.   

“At the same time, the government will inspect the use of tower cranes at other construction sites to see if they are safe,” the chief executive said.  

He said authorities have previously submitted a bill to toughen penalties for workplace safety violations, raising the maximum fine for employers who violate occupational safety laws - a fee that has remained unchanged for two decades - by a whopping 20 times to HK$10 million.  

The new bill proposes that offenses under the general duty provisions for employers, proprietors, and occupiers of premises should be tried through the indictable offenses procedure so that extremely serious Occupational Safety and Occupational Health offenses can be tried by a higher court.  

The maximum fine and term of imprisonment for these serious offenses are set at HK$10 million and 24 months, with the turnover of the convicted employer to be also taken into account by the courts during sentencing.  

Currently, employers who fail to comply with regulations face a fine of up to HK$500,000 and imprisonment of up to 12 months.

Read more: Crushed by crane