Hong Kong Regulations

CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS - REGULATION 40

Fencing of excavations, etc.

Caution: This is a past version. See the current version here.

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the contractor responsible for any
construction site where there is an excavation, shaft, pit, or opening in the
ground into or down the side of which a workman or other person lawfully on
the site is liable to fall a distance of more than 2 metres shall, for the
purpose of preventing any such fall, so far as practicable ensure that either-
(L.N. 238 of 1983)

   (a)  a suitable barrier is erected as close as is reasonably practicable to
        the edge of the excavation, shaft, pit or opening; or

   (b)  the excavation, shaft, pit, or opening is securely covered.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any part of an excavation, shaft, pit or
opening while (and to the extent to which) the absence of such barrier and
covering is necessary for the access of persons or for the movement of plant
or equipment or materials or while (and to the extent to which) it has not yet
been practicable to erect such barrier or covering since the formation of that
part of the excavation, shaft, pit or opening. (L.N. 238 of 1983) (L.N. 280 of
1978)