HK Construction Association speaks on implementation of smoking ban

The blanket ban on smoking at Hong Kong's construction sites is set to take effect starting tomorrow.

This as the city's construction association has rolled out guidelines for site workers on the measure, and will install high-tech monitoring systems across building sites to enforce the anti-smoking policy.

As the city takes its latest step to end smoking at construction sites, workers at this Kai Tak site under the Hong Kong Housing Society are mandated to place personal items including cigarettes and lighters in lockers located outside their workplace.

This worker said he could only retrieve his items after work, adding that he was searched before he entered the construction site.

Under the latest smoking ban, offenders would be subject to a fine of 3,000 dollars.

This man said the measure has a deterrence effect, and urged his fellow workers not to smoke as it could lead to fire hazards.

The law also requires contractors to take necessary steps to ensure the smoking ban is enforced, with offenders facing a maximum fine of 400,000 dollars.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Construction Association rolled out a series of guidelines pertaining to the measure.

They suggested that contractors must set clear boundaries for the smoking ban on construction sites, emphasising that storage areas containing fuel and other dangerous items must be monitored by CCTVs or other high-tech devices.

The association further said contractors can implement a score system to deduct points from workers or order them to leave the premises if they fail to adhere to the ban.

A lot of our construction sites have already prohibited smoking, so it is not a new thing to workers.

So, I think there won't be a big change to all of our members to implement these guidelines in the coming few weeks.

Members of the Hong Kong Construction Association stressed the smoking ban does not target workers, as the same restrictions apply to contractors who commit smoking offences at construction sites.

Some members who are smokers themselves supported the measure in hopes of not endangering the health and safety of workers at the workplace.