bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Three contractors charged over the 20-floor plunge of a platform at the International Commerce Centre  last year that killed six workers indicated yesterday that they would plead guilty to 49 charges.
Sanfield Building Contractors,  Wang Wai Construction Works  and Well Achieve Construction Company  answered Labour Department summonses for  81 offences  - 48, 17, and 16 respectively.  
At Kwun Tong Court yesterday, senior public prosecutor Joseph Wong said that a plea bargain arrangement had been reached and 32 of the 81 charges  were dropped. The contractors now face 24, 13 and 12 charges  respectively. The case was adjourned to November 4.
On September 13 last year, six workers collecting construction waste were killed when the work platform they were using on the 30th floor plunged 20 floors down a lift shaft in the 118-storey ICC, the city's tallest building. 
Three of the victims were only found hours later, as they were buried in construction debris.
The contractors were accused of violating the Factories and Industrial Undertaking Ordinance  and the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations.  
The companies are accused of failing  on various  days in September last year to identify hazardous conditions and to provide necessary supervision for safety. 
They are also accused of failing to provide and maintain a safe system for debris-clearing work inside the lift shaft, charges which carry a maximum fine of HK$500,000 and six months' imprisonment.
Special magistrate Debbie Ng Chung-yee  said that her jurisdiction was limited to imposing a fine of HK$100,000. Because six people had died in the  incident, she transferred the case to Acting Principal Magistrate Abu Bakar bin Wahab,  who could impose a higher penalty. 
Clive Grossman SC, for Sanfield, told Wahab that family members of the deceased were in court, and the parties involved had hoped that the matter could be dealt with yesterday. 
But Wahab said that he did not have a chance to read the documents and adjourned the case.



Contractors to plead guilty over ICC lift mishap