The Labour Department has issued 39 smoking fixed penalty notices since a new ban took effect at construction sites, and infrared thermal imaging drones may soon join the crackdown.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
As the Construction Site Smoking Ban came into effect last month, the department said nearly 1,400 inspections have brought 39 fines, 11 improvement notices to contractors, and two possible prosecutions as of Tuesday.
Assistant Commissioner Wan Chi-ping called the prosecution numbers unsatisfactory, adding that the department is testing infrared-equipped drones to step up enforcement.
Wan noted the department is inviting tenders for AI integration with the drones, expecting the research to take about nine months to a year.
Fitted with infrared cameras, he explained that drones could facilitate the detection of heat sources, providing close-up footage for further evidence gathering.
With AI technology, the system could identify a worker's characteristics and confirm suspected smoking, alerting ground inspection teams to enter the site for follow-up.
+1
He reported that the department has already purchased eight to nine drones, which are expected to come into service next month.
Wan added that the department will continue exploring new technologies and does not rule out introducing more advanced drones for future inspections.
He also noted that the department has been using small drones to assist occupational safety officers in inspections and enforcement since October last year, resulting in more than 220 prosecutions and over 600 statutory notices issued as of last month.
Voicing dissatisfaction over the construction site accident figures this year, he reaffirmed the department’s commitment to utilizing technology to strengthen inspections and enforcement, while stepping up education on occupational safety and health.
