A construction worker died on Monday after he was trapped underneath an excavator which tipped over at a site in Ho Man Tin.

Police were alerted to the scene on Liberty Avenue shortly before 10am, after receiving a report that an excavator which was transporting iron poles had flipped to its side, trapping a man.

He was rushed to Kwong Wah Hospital and pronounced dead later.

A fellow worker was also hospitalised.

An investigation by the Labour Department is under way.

The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims urged the government to step up efforts to reduce industrial accidents.

"As the excavator was operating on a slope, there must be proper risk evaluation before operation," chief executive Fay Siu told reporters at the scene.

"The ground below needs to be compacted, and there needs to be sufficient space for the excavator to move."

Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, suspected the ground had become loose following recent heavy rain.




Edited by Raymond Yeung