Surprise checks were effective: labour officials
Labour officials on Friday said special task forces set up to inspect construction sites have initiated more than 340 prosecutions against unsafe practices over the past few months. The inspection groups, established by the Labour Department following a number of fatal industrial accidents, also issued nearly 800 improvement or suspension notices, after conducting checks on almost 660 sites between November 2023 and February this year.  At a special Legco Finance Committee meeting, lawmaker Chau Siu-hung asked if the administration had assessed the effectiveness of the inspection squads and whether authorities plan to deploy them again. Commissioner for Labour May Chan said in response that the work of inspection squads had been effective.  "We conduct inspections through the special task forces, and also through other means. We put in a lot of resources to carry out inspections by special task forces. We also hold surprise checks or random inspections. We have yielded results through these surprise checks," Chan said.  "As to whether we will ask the special task forces to carry out more inspections in the future, we will look into it."  Meanwhile, deputy commissioner for labour Vincent Fung said officials will do more to promote a revised code of practice for bamboo scaffolding safety which was gazetted on Friday.  The amendments stipulate that those working on bamboo scaffolds must undergo training and hold a valid certificate. The revised code also prohibits any unauthorised alteration of scaffolds.  "Considering the time required for the industry to arrange training to obtain the certificates, there will be a grace period of six months on the effective date of the revised [code of practice]. It will take effect on October 19 to allow the industry to have sufficient time for preparation," a department spokesperson said.  The updated guide was published two months after a large scaffolding collapsed at a construction site in Kai Tak, killing two workers and injuring three others.