16.01.2026

Another fatality in Hong Kong

One man died while another was injured in what appears to be an aerial lift entrapment incident on a job site in Hong Kong yesterday.

The two were carrying out plastering work at the Victoria Blossom housing project in Kai Tak when they moved the lift and were jammed against a wall or overhead beam and the platform guardrails. Both were taken to hospital, but the older of the two, 65, was declared dead shortly after arrival, his 63 year old colleague is being treated for head injuries.
The Hong Kong Labour Department has suspended the use of similar platforms at the site until further notice and while its investigation is ongoing. It also added that additional safety measures
were required to prevent a recurrence.

In a statement, it said: “We are saddened by this incident and issue a stop work order until we are satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken. Our investigation will be completed in a timely manner and will include an assessment of the liability of those in charge of the project, as well as recommending improvement measures.”
So far, we have failed to discover the details of the incident beyond all reasonable doubt. It sounds like undulating ground conditions were a factor, which suggests it was a boom lift, But that is conjecture. We will update this item when we learn more.