Unsafe contractors barred
Fifteen contractors who failed to comply with safety standards have been suspended from tendering for public construction projects for up to six months.
Works Bureau chief Lee Shing-see said yesterday site safety in the public sector had been greatly enhanced after new administrative measures making the suspensions possible were introduced.
The average accident rate for public works projects last year was 52 per 1,000 workers compared with more than 200 per 1,000 in the whole of the construction industry.
But the administrative measures could not be extended to monitor projects under the Housing Authority - hit by piling scandals - the Housing Society or the private sector.
The 15 firms were suspended from tendering during the past year because their safety records were poor or because they had experienced serious accidents, Mr Lee said.
'We will look at a number of elements to decide if the contractors should be penalised. For example, safety guidelines at the sites, staff training and whether sufficient preventive measures have been introduced at these sites to prevent accidents from happening,' he said.
