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Fiona Sun

Jess Ma

Labour rights advocates and construction sector representatives in Hong Kong have called for the industry to step up the use of smart technologies to better protect workers after a dump truck driver died in an accident.
Fay Siu Sin-man, chief executive of the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, on Friday urged the government to consider requiring contractors to install cameras and sensors with artificial intelligence (AI) on construction sites.
The calls for better support to workers came a day after the dump truck driver was killed when his head was crushed between his vehicle and an excavator at a Kwai Chung construction site.
The fatal accident prompted authorities to suspend the contractor from tendering for public work.
Siu said smart technologies, including AI cameras and sensors installed on mobile machinery such as excavators, could help in monitoring the surroundings and the movement of workers on construction sites, and send alerts to operating staff or automatically halt machines if safety issues were detected.

But she said such technologies had not been widely adopted in the city, attributing the limited use to costs. Only about 700 excavators in the city were installed with such devices, she added.
“Authorities should step up promotion of these technologies in the industry, enhance inspection efforts, and consider making the use of them mandatory,” she said.
According to police, the driver had been standing behind his truck and working in a space between the vehicle and an excavator at around 10am at the Lai Kong Street site.
A police source said a preliminary investigation indicated that during the rotation of the excavator’s operation cabin, the driver was struck and pinned between the truck and the rotating compartment.
Following the accident, the Development Bureau suspended the contractor from tendering for public works contracts. It was also required to conduct an independent audit to review its safety management system.
Siu said the contractor for the foundation work of the site had been involved in three fatal incidents between April and July of 2020.
She added the driver’s employer had spoken to his family about the cause of the accident and possible financial compensation, but no agreement had yet been reached.
Ryan Ng Wai-leung, a rights and complaints officer at the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, also called for wider use of safety technologies on sites, which he said could make a huge difference in protecting workers.
He said even basic cameras installed on machines could help monitor the surroundings and alert operators. But he added that since such devices were not mandated, some contractors did not adopt them to cut costs.

He urged companies to seek information on safety technologies and select suitable ones for their work.
Lee Kwong-sing, chairman of the education and training committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Safety Practitioner, told a radio programme on Friday that the authorities’ current Smart Site Safety System (4S) drive through the use of technologies also faced challenges.
He said applying technologies in machines involved engineering and technical expertise, and many manufacturers refused to offer maintenance services for them.
“The 4S drive is at a nascent stage, and many do not know what to do,” he said.
The Development Bureau launched the Smart Site Safety System Labelling Scheme in May, as well as a series of relevant measures with the Construction Industry Council, to drive a wider adoption of 4S technologies in the building industry to enhance worker safety.
The Buildings Department introduced mandatory measures on July 1 under the Buildings Ordinance requiring the adoption of 4S to provide qualified supervision of works when granting the first approval or major revisions of superstructure plans of private development projects.
For building works with estimated costs exceeding HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) and involving the use of mobile plants and tower cranes, registered contractors are required to adopt relevant 4S alert systems.


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Accidents and personal safety in Hong Kong

Hong Kong labour representatives call for use of smart safety tech after death of driver

The Lai Kong Street construction site in Kwai Chung, where a dump truck driver was killed on Thursday after his head was crushed between his vehicle and an excavator. Photo: Handout

The Lai Kong Street worksite in Kwai Chung cordoned off by police after the dump truck diver’s death. Photo: Handout

Police said the industrial accident happened at around 10am at the construction site, which was later visited by labour representatives. Photo: Handout

News

Hong Kong

Society

Victims’ rights advocate urges government to consider requiring contractors to adopt AI technologies after fatal accident


Victims’ rights advocate urges government to consider requiring contractors to adopt AI technologies after fatal accident.


Hong Kong society

Hong Kong workers and labour rights

Technology

Artificial intelligence