Hong Kong crane collapse signals need for metal fatigue testing: expert

Hong Kong should review its crane safety guidelines to include mandatory testing for metal fatigue, an industry expert has said after the city recorded another fatal case involving a collapse.An operator was killed on Thursday afternoon when a tower crane fell at a construction site for the second phase of a public housing project on Tai Wo Hau Road, toppling onto a slope opposite Pik Kwai House at Kwai Chung Estate.The project’s main contractor, Woon Lee Construction, was previously fined by authorities over two fatal incidents at its sites in 2009 and 2011.Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, warned on Friday that the current mechanical inspections were insufficient.Chau said it was his understanding that the tower crane had undergone a thorough inspection earlier this month and was subject to regular daily checks.“However, the checks were primarily visual inspection or mechanical tests of cables, and they did not cover metal fatigue. It remains to be seen whether the current inspection scope is sufficient,” he said.Chau said the crane at the site had only been in use for two to three years.