In a tragic incident in Hong Kong, a scaffolding worker fell to his death earlier today while dismantling bamboo scaffolding on an industrial building in To Kwa Wan.
The 44-year-old man was found unconscious on a concrete canopy at the 11-storey Tung Nam Factory Building on Tuesday afternoon. The accident occurred around 2 p.m., prompting colleagues to alert emergency services.
Firefighters used a hydraulic platform to reach the worker, and paramedics transported him to Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, where he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses reported seeing the man fall from near the top of the scaffolding, accompanied by bamboo poles and an angle bracket. A male pedestrian said he heard a loud “bang” as the worker landed on the awning below, adding that he saw no safety ropes on the worker during the rescue.
The Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union expressed profound regret over the fatality, describing it as an industrial accident. The union underscored the need for enhanced safety measures on construction sites, particularly adherence to the government’s code of practice for bamboo scaffolding.
This code mandates that employers provide workers with essential safety equipment, such as full-body harnesses and independent lifelines.
The Labour Department, alongside police, has launched an investigation into the incident, aiming to establish whether safety regulations were followed. The union reiterated its call for all construction workers to use proper safety gear to prevent similar tragedies.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges and risks in Hong Kong’s construction industry, particularly in bamboo scaffolding, a traditional method that remains widely used in the city despite its inherent dangers.
