HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has introduced three legislative amendments to prohibit smoking at all construction sites in the wake of the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court that claimed 168 lives.

Aimed at reducing fire risks and safeguarding the safety of workers and the public, the amendments would impose clear legal obligations on principal contractors of construction works, subcontractors and any persons to strictly prohibit smoking in all construction sites, according to the government.

The amendment order and the amendment notice, which will be subject to the negative vetting procedure, will be gazetted on Friday.

The amendments – submitted to the Legislative Council on Tuesday – are Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 2026, Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) (Specification of Authorities and Public Officers) (Amendment) Notice 2026, and Construction Sites (Safety) (Amendment) Regulation 2026.

The amendment regulation will be subject to the positive vetting procedure.

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The amendment order designates construction sites as no smoking areas, while the amendment notice specifies that occupational safety officers of the Labour Department will carry out enforcement work in relation to all smoking offenses at construction sites.

“Any person smoking in a construction site commits an offense,” reads a government statement, adding that occupational safety officers can issue a fixed penalty notice to offenders with a fixed fine of HK$3,000.

The amendment order is applicable to all types of construction sites, including building maintenance sites. However, domestic premises and private quarters occupied by residents are not included.

As per the amendment regulation, contractors and subcontractors must take all reasonable steps to ensure that no person smokes or carries a lighted smoking product, or uses a naked light to light a smoking product, at a construction site.

“Otherwise, those violating the amendment regulation are liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$400,000,” the statement added.

The government said it would strive to facilitate LegCo’s scrutiny work and looks forward to having the chamber’s support for early passage of the three amendments, enabling the smoking ban at all construction sites to be implemented as soon as possible.