A dump truck driver died after his head was caught between his vehicle and an excavator at a Hong Kong construction site in Kwai Chung on Thursday, which sparked a move by authorities to suspend the contractor from tendering for public work.
Police said the driver had been standing behind his truck and working in a space between the vehicle and an excavator at around 9.59am at the Lai Kong Street site in Kwai Chung.
“A preliminary investigation indicated that during the rotation of the excavator’s operation cabin, the driver was struck and pinned between the truck and the rotating compartment,” a police source said.
Workers promptly alerted emergency services.
A police spokesman said the case was being treated as an industrial accident and the Labour Department had been notified.
The Development Bureau issued a notification to the contractor which ordered an immediate suspension from tendering for public works contracts in the site formation category.
It added it was required to undergo an independent safety audit to assess its safety management system.
The department spokesperson said the contractor must present an improvement action plan and implement essential measures post-audit to be reconsidered for participation in the tendering process.
“The suspension from tendering is not only confined to future tender exercises, but is also applicable to tender exercises with procedures initiated but not concluded,” he added.
The department said it was “highly concerned” about the accident and saddened to learn of the worker’s death.
It added that it had issued notices to the contractor that suspended the use of the excavator involved, with the machine unable to used until authorities were satisfied safety measures were in place.
The police insider said the victim’s head was badly crushed. The man was freed but certified dead by paramedics.
The source said crime-squad officers were investigating whether the excavator operator was negligent.
No arrest had been made by midday.
The department said it had sent staff to the scene and it was carrying out an investigation into the cause of the incident.
“We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of work safety legislation,” a department spokesman said.
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