Crunch culture and tight timelines blamed for 15 construction site deaths this year

The construction industry in Hong Kong is grappling with a grim reality: 15 fatal worksite accidents have occurred since the beginning of the year. Representatives from the sector are pointing fingers at a deeply ingrained "crunch culture," where the pressure to meet tight deadlines and minimize costs leads to the sacrifice of safety procedures. This pervasive atmosphere pushes workers to prioritize speed and convenience over essential precautions.

“

When frontline management faces deadlines and potential penalties, they may choose to take shortcuts on certain safety procedures.

Chau Sze-kit, chair of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, explained that frontline management, facing deadlines and potential penalties, may resort to shortcuts on safety protocols. He also noted that the practice of awarding contracts to the lowest bidder exacerbates the problem, as pressure is often passed down to subcontractors with little bargaining power. Lawrence Ng, chair of the Construction Workers Registration Board, added that frequent delays due to extreme weather also contribute, forcing bosses to demand more work in less time.

“

Safety culture hasn’t made its way to the worksite.

Concerns about safety awareness are stark, with a survey by the Construction Industry Council indicating that 5 to 7 percent of frontline managers and workers possess "extremely weak" safety awareness. This lack of awareness persists despite significantly harsher penalties for employers. In April 2023, Hong Kong raised the maximum penalty for serious safety violations from HK$500,000 to HK$10 million, with violators facing up to two years in prison.

“

Out of the 15 [fatalities]… even a safety supervisor died. Why? Because we have only paid lip service and haven’t truly fulfilled our responsibility.

Thomas Ho, chairperson of the Construction Industry Council, lamented that "safety culture hasn't made its way to the worksite." He highlighted the tragic fact that even safety supervisors have died in these accidents, attributing it to a superficial commitment to safety rather than genuine responsibility. "Crunch culture is one of the biggest killers on construction sites," Ho stated. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn mentioned that broader worksite accidents have decreased by 20 percent between 2023 and 2025 following the implementation of the "4S" Smart Site Safety System, which uses smart devices to identify hazards.

“

Crunch culture is one of the biggest killers on construction sites.