Safety Handbook for

Construction Site Workers

Occupational Safety and Health Branch

Labour Department

This handbook is issued free of charge and can be obtained

from offices of the Occupational Safety and Health
Branch, Labour Department. It can also be download from
http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/b69.htm. For enquiries
about the addresses and telephone numbers of the offices,
please call 2559 2297.
This handbook may be freely reproduced except for advertising,
endorsement or commercial purposes. Please acknowledge
the source asSafety Handbook for Construction Site Workers
,
published by the Labour Department.

Safety Handbook for

Construction Site Workers

Introduction
Most accidents can be prevented by taking simple
measures or adopting proper working procedures. This
handbook is intended to outline important issues on safety
and health that should be paid attention to on construction
sites for easy reference by the workers. If we work carefully
and take appropriate safety measures, there will definitely
be fewer work injury cases, and our sites will become a safe
and secure place to work in.
The Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, which
came into operation on 23 May 1997, covers most workplaces
in order to protect the safety and health of employees at
work. Other legislation applicable to construction sites
includes the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance
and its subsidiary legislation, particularly the Construction
Sites (Safety) Regulations.

Employees' Responsibilities
Employees should cooperate with their employers and
other persons in complying with the safety legislation and
guidelines, and should not do anything to endanger
themselves and other persons.

Basic Rules for Safety

Tidy up construction sites

Keep passages clear all the time.

Sort out materials and pile them up safely. The stacks should not be
too high.
Beware of floor openings and ensure that they are fenced or covered.
Remove refuse as soon as possible.
Provide sufficient lighting.
Familiarize with the location and the operation of fire-fighting equipment.

Safety measures

Before you operate a machine, ensure that the dangerous part of the
machine has been installed with a guard.
Avoid going to any area with insufficient lighting as there may be some
dangerous places which have not been provided with fencing.
Keep vigilant all the time and watch out for moving cranes, hooks or
other lifting equipment.
Before you use any electrical installation or tool, check the condition of
its electric cables.
Avoid dragging electric cables on the ground or allowing the cables to
come into contact with water.
Use electrical tools installed with an earth leakage circuit breaker.
Use and handle chemicals with care.

Personal Safety

Wear protective equipment.

Do not drink or take drugs while working.
Pay attention to personal hygiene.
Do not play in the workplace.
Report to your supervisor immediately if you notice any unsafe condition.

Emergency Response to Accidents

You should have a good understanding of your working environment
and the instructions given by your supervisor. When evacuation
is required in an emergency, you should keep calm and find out :

What dangerous situation the alarm refers to.

The routes for evacuation.
The safe place that you should go to as designated by the company.

When someone is found seriously injured, you should :

Keep calm.
Seek help immediately.
Accompany the injured person.
Assist in the immediate rescue work as far as possible.
Call the site safety staff.
Do not try to move the injured person unless it is really necessary
to do so.
Do not tamper with the accident scene while waiting for the arrival
of the investigation team.
When a fire breaks out, you should remember :
Put out the fire with a fire extinguisher if it is a small fire.
If the blaze is out of control, do not try to extinguish the fire on your
own. Call the Fire Services Department right away.
Emergency telephone numbers :
Always pay attention to the emergency telephone numbers posted
on the notice board in the site office.

Tipsfor Workplace Safety

Falsework, scaffold and fencing
Falsework

d in falsework
If you are engage
ould:
operation, you sh
the falsework is
r
he
et
Check wh
ance with the
erected in accord
design.
the falsework is
Make sure that
securely erected.
r the struts of the
Check whethe
cure.
falsework are se
d
props are erecte
Ensure that the
nged at a
vertically and arra
in a row.
suitable distance
supervisor when
Report to your
tion is found.
any unsafe situa

Scaffold
Do not use scaffolds un
less they have
been erected by traine
d workmen and under
the supervision of a co
mpetent person.
Do
not use a scaffold unles
s it has
been inspected and ce
rtified safe by
a competent person be
fore use.
Str
ictly follow the instructi
ons of a
competent person. Do
not alter the
scaffold unless authoriz
ed to do so.
Do not work on an unfin
ish
ed scaffold.
Wh
en it is necessary to wo
rk on a mobile
scaffold, lock the whee
ls of the scaffold
before you start worki
ng
.
Do
not work on a scaffold
unless it has been
provided with a suitable
working platform.

Fencing
Do not w
ork in a d
angerou
unless it
s place
s floor ed
ges and
openings
have bee
n installe
secure fe
d with
n
cing.

If you noti
ce any d
angerous
that have
places
not been
installed
fencing
with
or the fe
ncing ha
damage
s been
d, reinsta
ll or repa
fencing.
ir the
If this is
beyond
capabilit
y
o
ur
y, inform
your
supervis
or at onc
e.

n,
constructio
h is of good
ic
h
w
r
.
e
th
d
g
d
Use a la
quate stren
rial and ade
g it
sound mate
before usin
the ladder
ls.
a
Examine
rv
te
r in
t it at regula
d
n
a
and inspec
l
leve
ladder on a
Place the
.
firm footing
ropriate
r at an app
e
d
d
la
e
th
Place
angle.
r has a
at the ladde
Ensure th
pper end
ngth. The u
sufficient le
at least
e
r should b
against
of the ladde
in
d
the lan g
ve
o
b
a
e
tr
e
1m
dder leans.
which the la
unless its
se a ladder
Do not u
s been
wer end ha
upper or lo
d by
u
c
ed or se re
securely fix
rker.
s
another wo
l installation
re electrica
.
rs
e
If there a
d
d
tal la
not use me
o
d
y,
r
rb
o
a
s
e
e
n
2 metr
carried out
If work is
a suitable
r,
o
the flo use
more above
tform.
working pla

Ladder

1M

fastened
securely

Equipment and Electricity

d Gear
crane,
Lifting Appliance an
d. In the case of a
ance unless traine
ing appli
Do not operate a lift
d.
ire
qu
ain sling,
a certificate is re
hook, shackle or ch
as
ch
su
ar
ge
ing
Before using lift
tear.
re is any wear and
check whether the
.
ed
lift
be
to
d
t of the loa
Check the weigh
of
d
loa
ng
rki
the safe wo
Do not exceed
or lifting gear.
ce
an
pli
a lifting ap
ct lifting method.
Adopt the corre
gear
appliance or lifting
Do not use a lifting
ied
rtif
examined and ce
unless it has been
t examiner.
safe by a competen
pliance unless it
ap
Do not use a lifting
repaired and
has been regularly
mpetent person.
maintained by a co
pair is allowed.
No unauthorized re
s
working instruction
Follow the safe
ance.
pli
ap
ing
r of a lift
of the manufacture
d load.
de
en
sp
su
ath any
Do not work bene

Material Hoist
Do not ride on a material hoist.
Do not operate a material hoist with
out prior proper
training.
Do
not exceed the safe working load of
a material hoist.
Do
not use a material hoist unless it has
been examined
and certified safe by a competent exam
iner
.
Do
not use a material hoist unless its gate
s have been
installed with an effective interlocking
safety system.
The hoist is only operable after all the
gates have been
closed.
Do
not use a material hoist unless it has
been repaired
and maintained by a competent pers
on. No unauthorized
repair is allowed.
Do
not put loose materials into receptacles
unless properly
secured.
Ensu
re good communication with the operator
of a material
hoist. All signals should be underst
ood and followed.

No carriage
of Persons

Loadshifting M

achinery

Unless you ar
e a worker co
ncerned,
do not work in
an area where
a loader,
an excavator,
etc. is in oper

at
ion.
Do not operat
e any loadshift
ing
machinery with
out training an
d
approval.

Operators of
forklift trucks,
bulldozers, lo
aders, excava
tors,
trucks or lorrie
s should posse
ss
appropriate ce
rtificates.

Portable

Power T

ool
Do not
use a p
o
rtable p
(such a
ower to
s saw, g
ol
rinder a
unless it
n
d drill)
s dange
rous pa
been eff
rts have
ectively

g
uarded
Place th
.
e electr
ic cable
hose of
and
a tool a
t an app
position
ropriate
to avoid
tripping
hazards
.

ed Fixing Tool

Cartridge-operat

cartridgeDo not operate a

ol unless you have
operated fixing to
certificate.
possessed a valid
eye and ear
Wear suitable
operating a
protectors while
d fixing tool.
cartridge-operate
ol
-operated fixing to
Use a cartridge
with great care.

Compressed

Air

r specified
ed air only fo
Use compress
purposes.
ed air
any compress
Do not use
devices
le
and re vant
es
ip
p
t,
en
m
p
equi
ction and
good constru
of
e
ar
ey
th
unless
rtified safe
amined and ce
have been ex
ore use.
t examiner bef
by a competen
ly.
ectors proper
Fix the conn
t the pipes.
Do not twis
ssed air
use of compre
e
th
e
us
ab
t
Do no
a brush or a
urpose. Use
for cleaning p
ust from
r to remove d
vacuum cleane
skin.
clothing and

Electric T

ool

Before us
ing an ele
ctric tool,
tool and it
check the
s
plug and c

onnecting
Do not us
cable.
e a dama

ged tool.
Do not us
e an elec
tric tool u
its connec
nless
ting cable
is well
protected
.

Do not us
e an elec
tric tool u
its metal c
nless
asing is e
arthed an
power su
d its
pply is pro
vided with
an earth le
akage cir

cuit break
Do not re
er.
pair or alt
e
r
any electr
installation
ical
unless co

mpetent to
If you mee
do so.
t any fault
or problem
it to your
, report
superviso
r immedia
tely.

Workplace Safety and Fire Prevention

Excavations
Keep the fenc
e on all sides
of
an excavation
intact.

Use safe acce

ss for ingress
and egress.

Do not pile so
il or any other
materials at th
e edge of an
excavation.

Make sure th
at a trench is
securely shor
ed before
working in it.

ing and
Gas Weld

tting

Flame Cu

Flashback arrestors

ing
r gas weld
ipment fo
u
q
e
e
in
th
atta ed
use
Do not
you have
s
s
le
n
u
ificate.
g
uttin
valid cert
a
ld
o
or flame c
h
d
an
f 18 years
nless it
the age o
cylinder u
s
a
g
y
rs.
n
a
e
s
u
ck arresto
Do not
h flashba
it
w
d
e
t.
tt
n
fi
me
has been
tive equip
nal protec
o
rs
e
p
r
a
We
ce clean.
e workpla
Keep th
ishers
re extingu
Place fi
ch.
within rea
rs in an
s
a cylinde
Keep g
secure
ition and
s
o
p
t
h
g
ri
up
rturning.
avoid ove
to
y
rl
e
p
it pro
etected,
akage is d
If gas le
rvisor
your supe
report it to
ly.
immediate
9

Fire Risk

. However,
ays a fire risk
lw
a
is
re
e
h
T
reduced,
f fire can be
o
s
e
c
n
a
h
c
the
do when
ow what to
kn
ill
w
u
yo
and
out if you:
a fire breaks
place clean
ep the work
Always ke
and tidy.
d tools that
achinery an
Handle m
r heat
te sparks o
may genera
carefully.
naked
oke or use
Do not sm
ere
ny area wh
flames in a
ve
si
lo
and exp
flammable
d
re
are sto .
substances
ers are
e extinguish
fir
re
e
h
w
w
Kno
re used.
how they a
located and
embly for
place of ass
Know the
tion.
fire evacua

Public Safety
Pay attention to
public safety.
Members of the
public are often
unaware of or do
not understand
the work carried
out on
construction sites
and the risks
involved.
Ta
ke great care to pr
event the fall
of materials from
height.
Do
not stack materia
ls on floor
edges or on scaf
folds.

10

posal

Waste Dis

nwanted
tes, and u
s
a
w
ll
a
e
of at
Dispos
disposed
e
b
t
s
u
m
materials
.
ted place
a designa
of the
upervisor
s
r
u
o
y
fy
Noti
separate
nt for the
requireme
l or
f chemica
disposal o
.
le wastes
inflammab
with nails
s
k
leave plan
Do not
geways.
on passa

Safety Superv

isors

Their responsi
bility is to assi
st
others to wor
k smoothly
and safely.

They have re
ceived specifi
c
safety training
and are
important mem
bers of the
construction
team.

They have leg

al responsibili
ty
or liability for
the overall sa
fety
of the construc
tion site.

You should g
et to know yo
ur
safety supervi
sor.

11

Personal Safety and Hygiene

Eye Protection

inly take
A wise worker will certa
ight.
good care of his eyes
cause
y
ma
t
en
A small fragm
if it
es
nc
serious conseque
enters one's eyes.
of eye
When there is a risk
rete
injury, such as in conc
ive
ras
ab
ing
breaking or us
ar
we
ld
wheels, you shou
s.
suitable eye protector
the eye
Take proper care of
you.
protectors provided to
fective
de
or
d
ge
Replace dama
y.
tel
dia
me
eye protectors im
ar, and keep clean.
are comfortable to we
s
tor
tec
Ensure that eye pro
not put it on your head
for eye protection do
Use eye protectors
.
or hang it on your neck
, but not your eyes.
tectors are replaceable
pro
e
ey
t
tha
Bear in mind

Noise
Wear ear pro
tectors in area
s
with high nois
e levels.

Properly wea
r ear protector
s
according to
the manufactu
re
r's
instructions.

Do not reuse
disposable ea
r
plugs.

Clean ear pro

tectors regular
ly.

12

Personal Protective

Equipment

For your own safety

and interest, use the
personal
protective equipme
nt provided by your
em
W
ployer.
ear gloves when ha
ndling or contacting
chemicals.
Re
member to wear a
mask when working
in a dusty environme
nt.
W
ear eye and ear pr
otectors whenever
necessary.
W
ear a safety harnes
s and secure it to
a safe anchorage po
int when working at
height. A bamboo
scaffold is not a sa
fe
anchorage point, so
do not fasten the
safety harness to it.
W
ear safety shoes to
prevent foot injury.
Co
nsult your superviso
r if in doubt.

First Aid
If you sustain
an injury or
feel not well w
hile at work,
even if it is m
inor, go to
the first aid ro
om right away
for medical tr
eatment and
notify your su
pervisor.
Put the case
on record.

Safety Helme

helmet on a
Wear a safety
site.
construction
ess of the
rn
Keep the ha
re
and make su
helmet clean
l.
that it fits wel
y holes on the
an
l
ril
d
t
Do no
g.
it for poundin
helmet or use

13

First Aid

Manual Handling Operations

as far as
Avoid manual handling operations
ry.
inju
of
possible to minimize the risk
.
Estimate the weight of the load
ture.
pos
ect
corr
a
with
Lift an object
ent.
ipm
equ
ve
ecti
Wear suitable prot
e
sibl
pos
Put on gloves as far as
to protect your hands from
any cut, scratch or puncture,
and wear safety boots or shoes
to prevent injury to toes by
heavy falling objects.
e
Seek assistance from someon
in lifting a load if necessary.

Personal Hyg

iene

Keep yourself
clean.

Wash hands
before meals
and after usin
g the toilet.

Dress tidily an
d in protective
clothing.

rugs

Alcohol and D

cohol, or take
Do not drink al
work.
drugs, while at
due
to take drugs
If you need
ur
ort it to yo
to illness, rep
supervisor.

14

Occupational Safety and Health Enquiry Service

2559 2297
auto-recording after office hours
2915 1410
enquiry@labour.gov.hk
http:// www.labour.gov.hk
Information on the services offered by the
Occupational Safety and Health Council can
be obtained through hotline 2739 9000.

15
This Edition 3/2004

3/2004 - 4 - B69b