Drones to increase construction safety

Cheng Wong

The Labour Department will fly drones to enhance construction site safety inspection and law enforcement following 11 fatal industrial accidents in the first nine months.

The department outlined the plan in a document submitted to the Legislative Council Panel on Manpower yesterday.

"We are currently exploring the use of small unmanned aircraft for aerial photography and creating 3D photo-realistic models from these images to aid in evidence collection and law enforcement operations," the department said.

The drone program is expected to be launched late next year.

Assistant Commissioner of Occupational Safety, Wan Chi-ping, said the department is in the course of procuring drones and training over 20 staff members for their program.

He added the drone program will significantly enhance inspection efficiency.

According to the department, the construction industry saw the highest number of fatal accidents and the greatest accident rate per thousand workers across all sectors.

In February, a scaffolding at a Kai Tak construction site collapsed killing two workers. In April, the bodies of two workers were found in a drain in Sha Tin, who were believed to have inhaled toxic gas. Then in September, a worker crushed by overturned cargo in Yau Ma Tei.

New People's Party lawmaker Lai Tung-kwok said the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance lacks sufficient deterrent effects, calling on the government to document safety measures taken by scaffolding workers.

Deputy Commissioner of Occupational Safety and Health, Vincent Fung Hao-yin, replied that prosecutions would be pursued if safety regulations were violated by employers or employees.

Liberal Party member Shiu Ka-fai said that despite the maximum fine under the ordinance being increased from HK$500,000 to HK$1 million, the number of fatal industrial accidents has gone up instead.

Labor sector member Kwok Wai-keung said that although penalties were increased to foster a top-down safety culture, such a culture has "not yet emerged."

Fung reiterated that the Labour Department committed more than half of its resources to addressing accident risks in the construction industry. He said future efforts will focus on enhancing occupational safety awareness among minority workers.