Sun Yuhan: The government plans to legislate for a comprehensive smoking ban in public places

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Sun Yuhan, spoke today (14th) at the Legislative Council meeting regarding the "Proposal on Support and Reconstruction Work after the Fire at Tai Po Wang Fuk Court," stating that in strengthening construction site safety, the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Labour Department will promptly promote two measures, including a comprehensive smoking ban on construction sites; to prevent workers and objects from falling from scaffolding, scaffolding devices commonly known as "kickboards" will be installed.

Sun Yuhan stated that the government will legislate to prohibit smoking on all construction sites. Currently, the law allows the Labour Department to issue written orders to prohibit anyone from smoking on individual construction sites based on the risk of using flammable materials. However, this provision must be handled according to the specific circumstances of each site, and there are many restrictions in enforcement.

Sun Yuhan indicated that to make the smoking ban more comprehensive, the Labour Department has initiated the revision of the "Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations," imposing clear legal responsibilities on main contractors, subcontractors, and all personnel on site, strictly prohibiting smoking on all construction sites to reduce the risk of fire caused by smoking. The goal is to submit the relevant amendment to the Legislative Council for review in the coming weeks.

He also proposed that to prevent workers and objects from falling from scaffolding, scaffolding devices commonly known as "kickboards" will be installed. The Labour Department will revise the relevant code of practice for scaffolding, setting clear requirements for the materials of the "kickboards" to reduce fire risks