One worker dead in Cotai construction site accident

An accident at a construction site in Cotai has claimed the life of a 43-year-old non-resident worker from the mainland, the Judiciary Police announced in a short statement on Saturday.

The accident occurred at the Studio City Phase 2 construction site on Friday evening, when a group of workers was adjusting the position of a crane on the 39th floor of the building.

According to preliminary investigations, the crane moved unexpectedly during construction work, tilting to the front and causing the crane’s metal bracket to crush the worker from behind.

In a separate statement, the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) said that staff had been deployed to the site to investigate the cause of the accident.

Although the final report is not yet available, the DSAL noted that such machinery “must be operated by qualified personnel to ensure that the site where the crane is placed has sufficient resistance and stability and can support the weight of the crane and the cargo load.” The bureau added that “legal requirements and related safety rules must be carefully observed to prevent similar accidents from happening again.”

The DSAL also noted that, if it is found during inspections that any situation constitutes a serious safety hazard, “it will immediately order the work to cease, and call on the contractors and staff to fix the problem.” Only after that can work resume.