Contractor, govt depts blamed over QMH faulty lifts
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The Development Bureau has identified deficiencies and shortcomings by the contractor, professionals and government departments in the installation of faulty lifts at Queen Mary Hospital's new clinical block.
Chief Executive John Lee ordered an investigation in September after most of the lifts in the 34-storey tower were sealed off.
In a report submitted to the Legislative Council on Thursday, the Development Bureau said all 28 lifts in the building experienced problems to varying degrees.
It said "verticality deviations" in the lift shaft walls and guide rails across different floors meant the lift cars could not travel smoothly. The centre of gravity for the lift cars was also imbalanced, and the overall workmanship quality was poor.
"A lift operating normally will experience a certain degree of minor displacement depending on the load conditions. However, if the clearance between the shaft wall and the lift car is insufficient, it can easily trigger the lift's safety devices, thereby causing the lift to stop operation," the report read.
As of Tuesday, rectification work had been completed on 18 lifts, seven of which were already in operation after passing inspections.
Repairs for the remaining lifts were expected to finish within this year.
The bureau added that ATAL Engineering Group, as the contractor, "bears overall responsibility" in ensuring the project is completed in accordance with requirements.
The report alleged that the firm was aware of dimension and verticality problems in the shaft, but "followed up sloppily" so the problems could not be addressed in a timely manner.
The Development Bureau will take disciplinary action against the contractor, as well as the subcontractor and consultancy firms.
This may include the suspension of tendering rights, downgrading or delisting.
"As the investigation discovered that the incident may involve other illegal activities, we have referred the matter to the relevant law enforcement authorities for further investigation," the report said.
It also said the Architectural Services Department failed to strictly adhere to internal guidelines when issuing the certificate of completion in January 2025.
"We have requested the director of architectural services to deal with the involved personnel appropriately in accordance with the Civil Service Regulations. The director of architectural services is currently liaising with the Civil Service Bureau to discuss the arrangements for initiating disciplinary proceedings," according to the document.
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department was found to have complied with procedures in processing the applications for the lifts' operation permits, but "some personnel" did not conduct thorough investigations, and the department was urged to issue advisory letters to them, pointing out areas for improvement.
Officials will brief lawmakers at a Legco development panel meeting on Friday.
Chief Executive John Lee ordered an investigation in September after most of the lifts in the 34-storey tower were sealed off.
In a report submitted to the Legislative Council on Thursday, the Development Bureau said all 28 lifts in the building experienced problems to varying degrees.
It said "verticality deviations" in the lift shaft walls and guide rails across different floors meant the lift cars could not travel smoothly. The centre of gravity for the lift cars was also imbalanced, and the overall workmanship quality was poor.
"A lift operating normally will experience a certain degree of minor displacement depending on the load conditions. However, if the clearance between the shaft wall and the lift car is insufficient, it can easily trigger the lift's safety devices, thereby causing the lift to stop operation," the report read.
As of Tuesday, rectification work had been completed on 18 lifts, seven of which were already in operation after passing inspections.
Repairs for the remaining lifts were expected to finish within this year.
The bureau added that ATAL Engineering Group, as the contractor, "bears overall responsibility" in ensuring the project is completed in accordance with requirements.
The report alleged that the firm was aware of dimension and verticality problems in the shaft, but "followed up sloppily" so the problems could not be addressed in a timely manner.
The Development Bureau will take disciplinary action against the contractor, as well as the subcontractor and consultancy firms.
This may include the suspension of tendering rights, downgrading or delisting.
"As the investigation discovered that the incident may involve other illegal activities, we have referred the matter to the relevant law enforcement authorities for further investigation," the report said.
It also said the Architectural Services Department failed to strictly adhere to internal guidelines when issuing the certificate of completion in January 2025.
"We have requested the director of architectural services to deal with the involved personnel appropriately in accordance with the Civil Service Regulations. The director of architectural services is currently liaising with the Civil Service Bureau to discuss the arrangements for initiating disciplinary proceedings," according to the document.
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department was found to have complied with procedures in processing the applications for the lifts' operation permits, but "some personnel" did not conduct thorough investigations, and the department was urged to issue advisory letters to them, pointing out areas for improvement.
Officials will brief lawmakers at a Legco development panel meeting on Friday.