Decade-old work safety laws 'need urgent review' amid reports of lax standards

The government must carry out an extensive review of work safety laws that have not been updated for over a decade, a support group for victims of industrial accidents says.

The group has received reports from workers that safety inspections sometimes only take place on an annual basis, or every 18 months, while the perception among many workers is that the Labour Department is understaffed.

The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accidents Victims also argues that the government’s focus on high-profile issues – such as working at heights – and deadly accidents has led to neglect of other high-risk issues.

The deaths in March of two construction workers, who fell 50 stories when a platform snapped, made headlines. There have been at least 11 deadly industrial accidents so far this year.

Last year, 22 construction workers died as a result of work accidents, while 24 died on-site in 2012.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung announced in May that prosecutions and fines for deadly accidents had gone up.

But Chan Kam-hong, the group’s chief executive, says safety standards across the board need to rise.