RTHK English NewsHKmarketsAug 24, 2026, 4:15 AMImpact 32.4

Hong Kong to enforce smart safety systems on sites

Authorities unveiled a sweeping new drive to fortify construction site safety, pledging to mandate advanced protective systems across all public works as part of a zero-tolerance push against workplace accidents. Speaking at the kick-off ceremony of the annual Construction Safety Week on Monday, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said the industry had already seen measurable progress, with overall accident rates dropping by roughly 20 percent between 2023 and 2025. That decline, she said, has been largely attributed to the growing adoption of the city's Smart Site Safety System (4S), which is now installed at about 80 percent of local construction sites. Of these, 60 percent have earned the official 4S label. Yet Linn stressed that the current momentum is not enough. "When it comes to construction safety, even one accident is one too many. Our goal is to make 4S the standard configuration for all construction sites in Hong Kong — a baseline provision — providing frontline workers with a safer working environment," she said. To keep pace with evolving industry risks, the Development Bureau updated its technical guidelines last month, adding three new categories of 4S devices