Small Hong Kong firms struggling with scaffold net safety costs: contractor

A Hong Kong contractor is urging the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to assist small and medium-sized construction firms with the costs of procuring approved scaffolding nets. This follows the discovery of non-compliant plastic meshes at two sites after a deadly fire in Tai Po prompted stricter safety regulations. Lawrence Ng San-wa of the Hong Kong Construction Sub‑contractors Association suggests the CIC establish a whitelist, offer implementation guidelines, and coordinate bulk procurement to ease the financial burden on smaller companies. He notes that larger contractors can more easily manage the testing process due to their higher project volume, while smaller firms struggle with the added expense. The CIC is expected to deliver 50,000 scaffolding nets before Lunar New Year.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories