Hospital Authority’s announcement regarding construction site industrial accident

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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for the Hospital Authority (HA) made the following announcement today (December 29) regarding a construction site industrial accident:

     The HA acknowledged from a media report last night (December 28) that a construction worker, who was employed by the contractor of the United Christian Hospital (UCH) expansion project, was injured at work and hospitalised on December 20. Upon acknowledging the incident, the HA immediately instructed the contractor concerned to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a detailed report. The authority has requested the contractor to explain the reason for failing to report incident details to the HA and the UCH according to established protocols after the incident. The HA has also instructed the contractor to suspend all heavy duty construction procedures, including the lifting operation procedures at the area concerned of the construction site immediately, until effective safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of construction workers.

     The HA is deeply concerned about the incident and has requested the contractor to follow up stringently. The authority has reported to the Police and will fully co-operate with the Police and the Labour Department to investigate.

     The injured 63-year-old worker is in stable condition and currently receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The HA expressed sympathy to the worker and his family and will continue to offer appropriate assistance.