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Tai Po blaze: Hong Kong to ban smoking at construction sites from July 17

Smoking will be banned at construction sites in Hong Kong from July 17 under a government proposal sent to the legislature following the deadly blaze…

By Samantha Johnson / May 19, 2026

Smoking will be banned at construction sites in Hong Kong from July 17 under a government proposal sent to the legislature following the deadly blaze at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court last November.

The government introduced three amendments to existing ordinances to improve fire safety at the sites on Tuesday.

“Since the tragic fire which occurred in Tai Po in November 2025, there has been strong community consensus for implementing a comprehensive smoking ban in construction sites to reduce fire risk and enhance safety,” a Labour and Welfare Bureau paper submitted to the Legislative Council stated.

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Two of the amendments will be tabled on May 27 for negative vetting and will take effect on July 17.

Construction sites will be designated no-smoking areas, and the Labour Department will be tasked with enforcement. Workers violating the law face a fixed fine of HK$3,000 (US$383).

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A third amendment, which will be vetted by lawmakers, calls for imposing a fine of up to HK$400,000 on contractors who fail to prevent smoking at their sites.

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