Hong Kong authorities have announced that 30 private building projects, including 28 projects contracted by Wang Yip Construction, have been ordered to temporarily stop work.
According to a press release from the Hong Kong government, a spokesperson for the Buildings Department said on Saturday (November 29) that, under the Buildings Ordinance, orders had been issued requiring immediate suspension of work at 28 private building projects for which Wang Yip Construction Engineering Limited (Wang Yip), as a registered contractor, is responsible.
The Buildings Department has stated a lack of confidence in Wang Yip’s ability to ensure construction site safety and thus decided to order a temporary halt to 28 projects managed by Wang Yip. The recent No. 5 alarm fire at Hong Fuk Court, Tai Po, revealed serious shortcomings in Wang Yip's management of site safety, including the use of large amounts of foam panels to seal off building windows during repairs.
Due to concerns over Wang Yip’s site safety management capability and awareness, the Buildings Department issued orders under relevant clauses of the Buildings Ordinance to immediately halt projects where Wang Yip acts as the principal registered contractor. Of these, 11 are private building repair projects, and 17 are addition and alteration projects.
Due to concerns over Wang Yip’s site safety management capability and awareness, the Buildings Department issued orders under relevant clauses of the Buildings Ordinance to immediately halt projects where Wang Yip acts as the principal registered contractor. Of these, 11 are private building repair projects, and 17 are addition and alteration projects.
In addition, during a special inspection operation, the Buildings Department found two building repair projects that used plastic panels to seal windows. These are the building repair project at Fort Villa Garden in North Point, with Yuen Fat Construction Engineering Co. Ltd. as the registered contractor and Wang Yip involved as the project manager, and the building repair project at China Travel Building in Central, with Fullam Construction and Engineering Co. Ltd. as the registered contractor.
On Friday (28th), the Buildings Department immediately required the registered contractors of the above two projects to remove the plastic panels and will seek legal advice regarding possible prosecution. As a precaution, the Buildings Department has also ordered temporary suspension of work for these two projects.
In addition to issuing temporary stop-work orders, the Buildings Department has required the above contractors to conduct independent safety audits of their projects to review their safety management systems. They must submit improvement proposals and complete implementation of remedial measures based on the audit results. Only once the Buildings Department is satisfied that there are effective safety management systems will consideration be given to allowing the contractors to resume work.
In addition to issuing temporary stop-work orders, the Buildings Department has required the above contractors to conduct independent safety audits of their projects to review their safety management systems. They must submit improvement proposals and complete implementation of remedial measures based on the audit results. Only once the Buildings Department is satisfied that there are effective safety management systems will consideration be given to allowing the contractors to resume work.