Record Safety Performance to Secure Safe Construction Sites for All

The Labour Day on 1st May commemorates and celebrates the contributions of the labour force to our society. Beyond the commemoration itself, it calls on all sectors to recognise the contributions of workers, cherish their value to our society and respect their rights. To keep up the steady pace of urban development of our city, the dedication of frontline workers is the invisible driving force behind the large scale and complex construction projects with intricate work processes. Therefore, the CIC considers skilled workers as the most critical cornerstone of the construction industry and places workers’ occupational safety and health as the top priority. In order to promote safety culture on construction sites and to create a safe construction environment for all, the CIC officially launched the “Frontline Personnel Safety Performance Recording Scheme” last month for frontline personnel to record safety performance.

Frontline Personnel Safety Performance Recording Scheme

Construction workers carry out physical labour to support their families. Most important of all is to let every worker start the day safely and return home happy. To improve construction site safety and effectively implement safety measures, the industry must collaborate and adopt a multi-pronged approach. Last month, the CIC held the “United for Construction Safety Measures Kick-off Ceremony 2025”, where the “Frontline Personnel Safety Performance Recording Scheme” (Safety Recording Scheme) was announced. We strongly encourage frontline workers to actively participate in the scheme and to cultivate safe construction habits through attending safety training.

Led by the CIC and after more than a year of extensive consultation with industry stakeholders including chambers of commerce, trade unions, and professional bodies, a set of standardised safety performance items has been established.  As of today, over 400 construction projects have committed to participating in the scheme, which is truly encouraging. The CIC believes that continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms will ensure safety practices to be widely adopted and firmly established at construction sites.

In the past, many contractors developed their own reward and penalty systems to govern safety performance in respective sites. Given that the standards varied among contractors, workers had to re-adjust after changing to new construction sites. The Safety Recording Scheme standardises the items for safety performance, with demerit items grouped under two major categories: Use of Personal Protective Equipment and Safe Working Procedures. The scheme also encourages contractors to recognise frontline workers’ dedication to safety through the scheme’s online platform.

During the consultations, some industry representatives raised their concerns about how employment prospects for frontline personnel would be affected by the scheme and even a potential blacklist being circulated with the safety performance demerit records. I would like to reassure our members that the aim of the scheme is solely to encourage best practices and to improve on weaknesses. Corporations are encouraged to recognise individual workers with outstanding safety performance through their internal employee reward schemes. This can boost a sense of honour among workers and establish role models for construction site safety. 

If a frontline worker accumulates 15 safety performance demerit points, they can attend the Safety Performance Improvement Course organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIC), typically around 3.5 hours on weekday evenings or Sundays. Upon completion of the course, 15 points from the oldest record in the existing safety performance demerit records will be cleared. This would not lead to work suspension of individual workers nor interfere with the normal work schedule. Additionally, the safety records are maintained on a project basis and are not shared across sites or companies. To ensure privacy of the workers, when they change jobs, their new employers must obtain their authorisation to access their past safety records on the scheme’s online platform.

Last year, the CIC conducted a survey on Construction Safety Awareness. The survey result indicated that the prevalence of a rushing culture in the sector, a disregard for safety, as well as the ignorance of safe working procedures are the most critical factors undermining construction safety. Ultimately, the scheme is not intended to penalise workers but to raise awareness and to recognise their shortcomings. Through participating in the Safety Performance Improvement Course, workers can improve their safety awareness and have safety instilled as their core value, thereby enhancing a culture of care and safety at construction sites.

To facilitate industry participation, the CIC organised 13 briefing sessions on the Scheme and its online platform. Representatives from over 300 construction projects attended these sessions. The briefing sessions explained the purpose and details of the scheme, as well as relevant requirements and tips on personal data privacy and cybersecurity. A demonstration on how to use the scheme’s online platform was included. Videos of the online demonstration of the scheme, Scheme Quick Guide and Poster of the Scheme are now available at the scheme’s online platform: safetyrecording.cic.hk. I urge my colleagues in the sector to take action and make good use of this scheme to fulfil their safety commitments.

Memorandum of Understanding signed between CIC to OSHC to Strengthen Scaffolding Safety Management

Recently, the Office of the Ombudsman’s Office published a report on direct investigation operation on occupational safety and health in the construction industry supervision, revealing that Competent Persons responsible for inspecting plant and machinery prematurely signed inspection forms prior to proper inspection. The shocking practice exposes “bad apples” in the sector who prioritise project completion over safety, highlighting the need for a multi-pronged approach to reinforce safety awareness in the industry.

Bamboo scaffolding work is a high-risk, working-at-height trade, and it is a major safety challenge for construction sites in Hong Kong. In the past year, at least two serious incidents of scaffolding collapse occurred, alerting the industry that there is significant room for improvement in safety management and operations for working-at-height. To further ascertain the safety of construction workers, the CIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last month, to collaborate with the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC) on the Truss-out Scaffolding Safety Accreditation Scheme.

Truss-out Scaffolding is often used for maintenance and repair works on external walls. Their structural safety depends on multiple factors, such as the structural strength of external walls, whether the external walls have sufficient supporting surfaces, the material strength of bamboo members, and the craftsmanship of scaffolders etc, which illustrate the complexity and difficulty of managing the operations.

Under this scheme, OSHC will assist companies in implementing safety management systems and provide subsidies for companies to purchase safety equipment, organise safety training, and conduct safety audits. Meanwhile, the CIC’s Hong Kong Construction Industry Trade Testing Centre (HKCITTC) will provide Scaffolder Safety Training with simulated scenarios for safety audits. Furthermore, members who become a Registered Specialist Trade Contractor for Truss-out Scaffolding, are eligible for premium discounts for Employees’ Compensation Insurance under the Employees’ Compensation Insurance Residual Scheme, providing more comprehensive protection for their workers. Through the joint collaboration between CIC and OSHC, the scheme aims to enhance the safety management, construction quality, and professionalism of scaffolding assembly and dismantle. It also promotes the importance of safety management and construction quality for Truss-out Scaffolding to the industry, driving continuous improvement in safety standards.

Leveraging Technology to Improve Scaffolding Work Safety

While there are risks involved in scaffolding work, I firmly believe that the use of technology can greatly enhance the levels of safety. Recently, I visited the site of the Expansion of the Lai King Building in Princess Margaret Hospital - Main Works. I am impressed that a Bamboo Scaffolding Tie Bond Detachment Monitoring Sensor (scaffolding monitoring sensor) was installed on the scaffolding tie bond, commonly known as putlogs. The scaffolding monitoring sensor operates around the clock to monitor the tilt angle and temperature of the putlogs. If a putlog loosens or breaks, the system immediately alerts the project team via mobile phones and triggers a photo shooting function to prevent unauthorized adjustments.

In the past, the industry often cited high costs as a barrier for adopting technology, but the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF) managed by the CIC provides substantial subsidies to ease financial burdens of our industry players. With the multi-billion worth construction contracts in mind, the cost of applying technology is just a tiny fraction in comparison. Yet, technology can save lives, making it truly worthwhile to invest in it.

Facing the challenges in resource allocation and tight deadlines, frontline workers may sometimes overlook the importance of safety operations. However, construction site safety remains the foundation for all efforts to enhance project efficiency and effectiveness. Protecting workers’ lives relies on establishing appropriate work procedures and protocols, which is the lifeline for the industry’s continuous professional development and sustainable growth. I wish all practitioners always bear in mind that life comes first.