INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
As I See It
Bamboo Scaffolding in Hong Kong
By Carolyn Tan Cheng Yee
On my recent trip to Hong Kong , after a long absence of decades , I was surprised to see bamboo scaffolding still being widely used in the Central Business District . The scaffolding works were tidy and well-secured with protection of passing pedestrians in mind , such as a roof cover over the pedestrian pathway by the side of building under renovation .
Hong Kong is perhaps one of the very few places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction projects . Malaysia had discarded the use of bamboo scaffolding long ago and the Scaffold Standard CIS 22 , regulated by CIDB allows only tubular steel as materials for scaffolding .
According to contractors in Hong Kong , bamboo , which is strong , flexible and light , is much cheaper than steel or aluminum . As an ageold construction method for which the skill was passed down through generations , erection of bamboo scaffolding is faster than the metal type wherein a skilled team of scaffolders can complete the works over a building within hours .
In a densely populated city like Hong Kong , being able to fit more materials on a smaller truck can mean huge time savings by not having to move vehicles and find places to park them . Being lightweight also means that a worker can transport more bamboo per trip up the scaffolding compared to aluminum or steel scaffolding .
Bamboo scaffolding for a high-rise building in Hong Kong ’ s Central Business District
The bamboo materials are mainly sourced from the neighbouring Guangdong province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of PR China .
There are now more than 2,000 registered bamboo scaffolders in Hong Kong and it is mandated that contractors can only engaged registered scaffolders for the erection of bamboo scaffolding . Before being registered as scaffolders , they must undergo a training session and pass the necessary tests .
There is also a Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety issued by the Commissioner for Labour under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance . It provides practical guidance for the compliance with the requirements set out in in the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the requirements of the Construction Sites ( Safety ) Regulations regarding safety at work involving the erection , alteration , dismantling and use of bamboo scaffolds .
The Ordinance imposes general duties on proprietors and persons employed with regard to
72 VOL 94 APRIL-JUNE 2023