CONTRACTORS who persistently violate safety regulations will be suspended or banned from bidding for public works projects.
The move is part of a comprehensive package of construction safety proposals unveiled by Secretary for Works James Blake at the first Airport Core Programme (ACP) site safety awards.
Initially firms will be suspended if they exceed a set number of convictions. Limits will be imposed on the size of contracts they can bid for and, in exceptional circumstances, firms may be barred from tendering altogether.
Other measures include using safety consultants to provide proper training for site management, giving consultants the power to stop any construction activity which break safety guidelines and on-site audits to ensure safe working practices.
Mr Blake is also studying proposals that would prevent contractors being paid for work until they had provided proper on-site safety equipment. A pilot scheme has already begun on two projects.
The overall winner of the ACP awards was Leighton Contractors (Asia) which scooped gold awards for having the best construction safety record and the best construction safety performance at its advance works contract in Tsing Yi.
