Hong Kong regulator must come down hard on firms that put profit before worker safety
Paul Yip calls for heavier penalties for companies that flout safety rules, after a string of accidents on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge project that has left 10 people dead
The lack of a strong response from the community and government is disturbing. Is Hong Kong compromising safety and putting profit ahead of human life? Hong Kong’s laws and enforcement should measure up to the best. If we can tolerate such cracks in our system, it won’t take long for the city to start to crumble.
There should be no compromises when it comes to workers’ safety
Hong Kong’s record on construction fatalities is not good by international standards. On average, there are some 180 occupational fatalities annually, a rate of 0.06 per 1,000 employees. In the state of Victoria in Australia, for example, that figure is 20 deaths, a rate of 0.01 per 1,000 employees.
Any company that fails to comply with safety standards should be severely punished. We cannot allow construction companies to cut corners to save money and meet deadlines at the expense of people’s lives.
If we can tolerate such cracks in our system, it won’t take long for the city to start to crumble
Current penalties have little effect, with the maximum of up to a year in prison and a HK$500,000 fine. Most companies have been fined HK$100,000 or less. Compared with the billions companies make from a project, it is nothing. Furthermore, the pain of the family of the deceased cannot be ignored.