Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn today said that the Buildings Department has refused the application for registration renewal of Aggressive Construction Company which will be removed from the register of general building contractors on June 20.

The company was involved in three serious incidents, including a fatal incident in 2022 involving the collapse of a tower crane at a construction site at Anderson Road; a fatal incident in July 2020 involving the electrocution of a worker at a construction site at Wang Chin Street; and a fatal incident in October 2023 involving a worker falling from height at a construction site at To Wah Road. These incidents resulted in a total of five deaths.

As a registered general building contractor, the registration of the company expired in April 2023.

The department referred the renewal application to the Contractors Registration Committee for interview and assessment in accordance with the Buildings Ordinance.

The committee is established under the ordinance and its key members are nominated by the relevant building professional registration boards and the industry.

After interviews, the committee was not satisfied that the authorised signatories of the company were competent and capable in site supervision and safety management to act on behalf of the company for the purpose of the ordinance, and was not satisfied that the contractor had proper site safety management.

After careful consideration of the committee's recommendation, the department has decided to refuse the company's application for registration renewal.

The department issued a letter to the company today as notification of its removal from the register of general building contractors on June 20, and that it will not be allowed to carry out any building works under the ordinance from that date onwards.

The company was also requested to inform the authorised persons (APs) of the building sites of the relevant private development projects under its charge in accordance with the law, including submitting to the APs a notice of cessation of appointment, certifying that the building works carried out are in accordance with the provisions of the ordinance and its regulations, and giving a clear account of the scope of the completed building works.

At the same time, the department also issued a letter to inform the APs responsible for the relevant building sites that the application for renewal of registration of the company has been refused, reminding them that they should make arrangements for the remaining works as soon as possible, including proposing to the owner of the project the appointment of another registered contractor to follow up the outstanding building works.

The company is currently the main contractor for six development projects, three of which are public housing projects, one is a public works project for the construction of a new Chai Wan Government Complex, one is a subsidised sale housing project on Anderson Road by the Hong Kong Housing Society, while the remaining one is a student and staff dormitory project of the University of Hong Kong on Pok Fu Lam Road.

With the company being removed from the register of general building contractors, it will no longer be allowed to carry out five of the above-mentioned residential and hostel projects according to the law or contract terms.

As for the public works project of Chai Wan Government Complex, although it is neither bound by the ordinance or relevant contract terms to employ a contractor from the register of general building contractors for this project, in view of the slow progress over the past months and the fact that the performance of the contractor is far below contract requirements, the relevant works department will terminate the contract as soon as possible in accordance with the contractual mechanism.

The Housing Authority and the relevant works department will follow up with the company as soon as possible to arrange for a new contractor to take over the project sites within two months of the company leaving the site.

In order to minimise the impact to current workers and subcontractors, the Government encourages new contractors for the projects concerned to take priority in engaging current workers and subcontractors.

Additionally, special consultation counters have been set up at ten Regional Offices of the Labour Relations Division under the Labour Department to provide appropriate assistance to affected workers.

Ms Linn said that refusing the company's application for renewal of registration is only one of a series of follow-up actions taken by the Government following construction site fatal incidents.

In 2023, the Buildings Department and the Labour Department instigated prosecutions against the company and related individuals under their respective ordinances regarding the collapse of a tower crane on Anderson Road. The case will be heard in January 2026. The company's involved authorised signatory was also charged with manslaughter in 2024, which will be heard in July this year.

As for the other two serious incidents, the company and related individuals were convicted and fined under labour ordinances for the 2020 incident, while the 2023 incident will be heard in July 2025.