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A POPULAR demolition method in Hong Kong could be banned in the wake of Friday's Nathan Road disaster.

  A senior official in the Buildings Department confirmed the Government may ban 'top-down demolition' after it was believed an excavator demolishing the third floor of the former Wing On department store played a key role in the tragedy.

  'We have got to look at that,' said Buildings Department Assistant Director (Development), Clive Viney.

  Top-down demolition involves lifting excavators to the top of buildings by crane and then using them to demolish the structure floor by floor.

  Contractors like the technique because it is faster and causes less pollution than other demolition methods. It is especially suited to Hong Kong's confined urban area.

  Speaking after a Legislative Council Lands and Work Panel, at which government officials were strongly criticised by some members for failing to reveal details of the probe into the collapse, Mr Viney said a ban was one of a number of proposals being considered by the Buildings Department to tighten control over demolition work.

  Other plans include increasing site supervision by architects and engineers, improving site training and making the contractors register tougher.

  He also confirmed the excavator contributed to the accident but could not say any more because the accident investigation is continuing.

  He said the contractor had submitted a demolition method statement before work started.

  'If it had been adhered to we obviously would not have had the incident,' he said.

  'Work will not restart until the contractor submits a new method statement which has been approved by the Buildings Department,' he said.

  Top-down demolition is already strictly controlled by the Buildings Department because of the risk to the public. It only issues permits when firms have satisfied certain criteria to ensure equipment will not be working close to adjoining buildings or streets.

  But the Hong Kong Construction Association (HKCA) said an outright ban would make demolition work much more time-consuming and labour intensive. This will inevitably push up costs and increase the time it takes to tear down buildings.

  'Demolition will become much harder and slower because contractors will have to use pneumatic drills and jack hammers,' said HKCA secretary-general, Patrick Chan Wing-tung.

  He said there are also important safety considerations and agreed a ban would make demolition sites more dangerous because more workers would be working on site.

  One contractor, who declined to be named, said contractors already faced intense pressure from developers who wanted buildings demolished quickly so they could rebuild.

  'All contractors have to submit method statements but they rarely adhere to them because it would take too long to finish the job,' he said.

  'When contractors win a job they have to cut corners to complete the job in time because clients impose unrealistic completion periods. If contractors are late they face massive damages,' he added.

  He said the tragedy may have a positive outcome because it would make clients, contractors and consultants realise the risk of rushing projects has become unacceptable.

  The construction company contracted to organise demolition at the Nathan Road site said the sub-contractors hired to do the demolition work were possibly working in other sites.

  A spokesman for Helfer Construction Company was reluctant to give details of the company's operations 'until investigations are complete'.

  But he said the company handling the demolition had around 20 years of experience in the field.

  'As the authorities are still investigating it is not fair for us to comment just yet. The demolition was being handled by a company with a lot of experience and every safety step was followed at the site.

  'This company does not work exclusively for us so it is possible they are also working on other demolition sites in Hong Kong,' he said.

  Meanwhile Mr Viney said some of the firms involved in the 12 sites closed during a weekend swoop on 140 demolition sites could face prosecution.

  He said the Buildings Department would assess how serious the breach of regulations was at each site before deciding what action to take.

  'Clearly we can only work within the parameters of the Buildings Ordinance,' he said.

  Wong Chun, 58, who was seriously injured in the Nathan Road tragedy, was still in poor condition at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.



Faster demolition method faces ban