Lift plunge engineer jailed for failing to carry out thorough inspection
Magistrate aims to send clear message to industry on need to adhere to safety rules after seven injured in North Point accident
An engineer who conducted only cursory checks on lift cables that later snapped, injuring seven people, was yesterday sentenced to five months in jail.
The conviction of lift engineer Lam Chi-wah, 72, is the first involving a jail term under the Lifts and Escalators (Safety) Ordinance.
Four of the seven injured in the North Point accident last year had to undergo operations, followed by rehabilitation therapy. Magistrate Symon Wong Yu-wing described the case as "very serious".
"The public rely on the professional and honest attitude [of engineers] to carry out [maintenance and inspection]," he said.
"From the information we have here, [Lam] was not sticking to these principles."
Wong highlighted a need to send a clear message to the industry to be serious and responsible when conducting inspections, so people would feel safe whenever getting into a lift.
Lam, of Shineford Engineering, entered a guilty plea last month for three summonses served on him, after initially pleading guilty and then, in December, changing his plea to not guilty.