15 contractors rated 'extremely poor' in Hong Kong site safety over five years
Hong Kong's Development Secretary said one contractor was rated 'poor' and 15 'extremely poor' for site safety in quarterly reports over five years. The government considers safety scores in bid evaluations and can suspend or delist firms.
Hong Kong's Development Secretary, Ngon Hon-ho, has revealed that over the past five years, one contractor received a 'poor' rating for site safety performance in its quarterly assessment report, while 15 were rated 'extremely poor'. The figures were provided in a written reply to a lawmaker's question.
Ngon explained that the government evaluates public works contract bids by considering not only price but also technical scores, of which site safety accounts for about 30 per cent. Contractors with unsatisfactory safety performance are required to implement immediate improvements and may face penalties including suspension from tendering or removal from the approved list.
The Development Secretary said the current system effectively identifies high-risk and poorly managed contracts, enabling early intervention and prompt remedial measures. Public works departments and the Housing Authority conduct regular inspections, safety audits and surprise checks to assess contractors' safety management systems, risk control measures and actual implementation. The scoring process does not rely solely on accident numbers.
Warning mechanisms are in place: when accident rates or numbers exceed benchmarks, follow-up actions are taken. Authorities also cooperate proactively with the Labour Department's investigations when necessary.
Ngon noted that the government has strengthened preventive measures in recent years, including promoting the use of innovative technology to enhance site risk identification and control. Key measures include the adoption of 'Smart Safety Construction Site' systems to detect unsafe behaviour and potential risks early. The Housing Authority requires contractors to feed safety data from such systems into its 'AI+ Construction Intelligence Platform' to improve monitoring of safety performance and raise frontline workers' safety awareness.