Charges may be levelled against contractors if cigarette butts are found around construction and major renovation sites during inspections proposed under imminent regulatory changes implementing a complete smoking ban following the tragic Wang Fuk Court fire, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said.

He was speaking after the government submitted amendments to the Legislative Council this week that designate construction sites and buildings undergoing major renovations – including areas near scaffolding and external walls – as no-smoking zones and implement a fixed fine of HK$3,000 for general violations.

The changes stipulate that contractors must take all reasonable steps to ensure that no one smokes or carries a lighted specified smoking product and that a failure to do so may result in a fine of up to HK$400,000.

Speaking on a radio programme on Saturday, Sun said enforcement of the stricter regulations would depend on the circumstances surrounding the offences once the legislative changes have been approved.

"For example, if we see someone smoking on site during an inspection, we shall immediately give that person a penalty ticket," he said.

"If we do not see anyone smoking but there are a lot of complaints about it or there are videos showing cigarette butts scattered around the site, we shall charge the employer for not having followed the smoking ban by imposing safety measures."

Sun said he believed the deterrent effect of inspections and complaints about smoking offences would be greater once the proposed regulatory changes were in effect.



Edited by Thomas McAlinden