Hong Kong developers push for smoking ban at construction sites after deadly fire

Major Hong Kong developers are considering a blanket ban on smoking for workers at all construction sites following the deadly Tai Po blaze that killed 159, with at least two already demanding that all their contractors impose the tough rule or step up penalties.

The Real Estate Developers Association (REDA) told the Post on Friday that it was gathering views on the smoking ban from its members, including major developers such as Sino Land, Swire Properties, Sun Hung Kai and New World Development.

One of its members, Henderson Land Development, has already required all contractors on its construction sites to ban smoking, according to a source.

Any workers who smoke on site would be required to leave, the insider said, adding that enforcement of the ban would be left to contractors to decide, including whether workers would be fined or fired.

In a video posted on Thursday that went viral online, construction workers at a site in Sham Shui Po were told they would be blacklisted from future projects if they were caught smoking.

“If I catch anyone smoking here, they will have to leave,” a man conducting a briefing said.