Police were called to the site on Kai Lok Street following reports that indicated a site supervisor had been run over by a reversing compactor.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun expressed deep concern on Saturday over the tragedy and confirmed that authorities had launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The direction we are looking at includes whether or not those involved in the works were operating in accordance with the code of practice and all the safety requirements that are necessary for that kind of work,” he said.
“You can all rest assured that we will look into it seriously, and if there’s anyone who will be held responsible for causing the accident, we will take action in accordance with the law.”
A spokesman for the Labour Department said in a statement earlier that investigators began an immediate on-site probe as soon as they were notified of the accident.
Suspension notices have since been issued to the contractors involved, halting the operation of all load-shifting machines at the site.
“The contractors cannot resume the work process until the Labour Department is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken,” the spokesman said.
In a broader advisory aimed at preventing similar tragedies, the department reminded employers to implement adequate measures to prevent workers from being struck by load-shifting machinery.
These include placing physical barriers to segregate personnel from operating zones, installing proper safety devices, and installing audio and visual alarms on all equipment.
