Companies involved in industrial accidents are not being punished strongly enough for safety law breaches despite an increase in the maximum penalty, lawmakers complained on Wednesday.

Last year, the highest penalty for a serious violation of occupational safety laws was raised from a fine of HK$500,000, to HK$10 million and a two-year jail term.

Labour Secretary Chris Sun said since the law change, there have been prosecutions over eight fatal workplace accidents.

In one case that has concluded, two company bosses were fined HK$50,000.

A number of lawmakers said such a punishment is too lenient, with president of the Federation of Trade Unions Stanley Ng saying it shows last year's law change is "useless" when it comes to preventing industrial accidents.

In response, Sun said regarding the pair fined HK$50,000, officials decided they would not have a strong case should they decide to appeal.

"It is considered the sentences were not wrong in principle and the fines were not manifestly inadequate," he told lawmakers.

Sun stressed that it has only been a little more than a year since the legal changes were made and appealed to lawmakers to wait longer to see what effect the higher punishments have.

He added that officials will review the matter in around a year's time.