The Development Bureau said today that it has issued a notification to the contractor involved in a fatal industrial incident at a private construction site in Fo Tan on January 24 suspending it from tendering for public works contracts in the buildings category with immediate effect.

The contractor involved was on the List of Approved Contractors for Public Works. As the body responsible for procuring services for public works, the bureau said that it attaches great importance to site safety at all construction sites under the purview of contractors on the list.

It explained that the contractor has been instructed to conduct an independent safety audit to review its safety management system, submit an improvement action plan based on the audit, and then implement measures with a view to demonstrating that its safety management system is effective. A lifting of the suspension will be considered once these steps are taken. 

The suspension from tendering is not limited to future tender exercises, but is also applicable to tender exercises which have been initiated but not concluded.

The Labour Department is investigating the industrial incident and will handle it in accordance with the law.

Subject to the findings of the department’s investigations, the bureau may carry out further regulating actions against the contractor. These may include extending the suspension period or even removal from the list.