Worker killed as excavator overturns at Ho Man Tin construction site

A construction worker was killed and another injured after an excavator overturned while lifting steel pipes at a construction site in Ho Man Tin on Monday morning (Jun 29).

Police received a report at 9.42am that an excavator had overturned at a construction site on Liberty Avenue, causing the steel pipes it was carrying to fall onto two workers.

One male worker was struck and trapped by the fallen steel pipes and was found unconscious. He was taken to Kwong Wah Hospital, where he was later certified dead.

Another male worker sustained injuries but remained conscious. He was also taken to Kwong Wah Hospital for treatment.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, said recent heavy rain may have softened the ground, causing the excavator to overturn while operating on a slope.

He questioned whether adequate risk assessments had been carried out before the lifting operation, particularly after days of heavy rain.

Chau also raised concerns over whether safety procedures had been followed during the lifting operation, saying workers should not have remained within the danger zone while steel pipes were being lifted.

The Labour Department has launched an investigation into the fatal industrial accident.

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