Opinion | Are tight deadlines why Hong Kong construction sites are not safer?
- While accident rates have fallen over the past decade, the numbers remain sticky
- The mentality prioritising speed at all costs must change – safe working practices take a back seat when workers are under pressure to deliver
My most vivid memory from construction industry training at university is the motto “fast, ruthless and accurate”. That was what we were told – in Cantonese – our construction workers have to be.
For me, this phrase defines not only the culture in Hong Kong’s construction industry but much of our society. I’ll admit that this mentality is sometimes necessary. In some industries it may even be essential. But, on construction sites, it has manifested itself in a series of accidents and fatalities over the years.
If you have ever managed to read the “original completion date” on the ubiquitous roadside display boards as your minibus speeds past, you may have noticed that most, if not all, of these projects overrun their stated deadlines.
Tight deadlines mean workers are perpetually in a rush to finish their job, almost at any cost. As a result, safe working practices take a back seat. Other issues may also arise, such as fatigue or even burnout. Unsurprisingly, this can lead to workers becoming careless.
Still, looking at the statistics, some progress has been made.
The Labour Department publishes accident and fatality statistics for the construction industry each year. The Development Bureau, meanwhile, publishes statistics for the construction industry and for public works contracts, although it is not clear if the category “construction industry” includes public works contracts.