MAJOR construction companies have been asked to conduct full checks on hoists of the same model as the one that plunged 17 floors at a Quarry Bay building site in June, killing 12 workers. Speaking at Legco's manpower panel yesterday, Secretary for Works James Blake said it would take about 20 weeks to complete checks on all the hoists. Legislator Tam Yiu-chung questioned whether factory inspectors were competent enough to carry out the checks, saying there were eight different models of passenger hoists used in the industry. Mr Blake said inspections would first focus on the type employed at the site where last month's tragedy happened. Random checks would then be made on the others. A report on this issue was expected by the end of the month.
