Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Kowloon City today
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Kowloon City this afternoon (August 3), where a male employee fell from an edge of a roof of a building under alteration during his work. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.
The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the use of the roof of the building under alteration. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."
The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
The Labour Department, Photo source: reference image
To prevent workers from falling while working at height, the LD reminds employers to take adequate precautionary measures, including providing workers with suitable and adequate safe means of access to and egress from working locations, and ensuring that all dangerous edges are properly and securely fenced off. If the provision of the above-mentioned measures is not practicable, employers should provide suitable full-body harnesses to workers, which should be attached continuously to suitable and secure anchor points or independent lifelines with fall arresting system so as to protect workers' work-at-height safety.
The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.
In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should also co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.
The Labour Department, Photo source: reference image
Provisional statistics of restaurant receipts and purchases for second quarter of 2026
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (August 4).
The value of total receipts of the restaurants sector in the second quarter of 2026, provisionally estimated at $27.2 billion, increased by 0.4% over a year earlier. Over the same period, the provisional estimate of the value of total purchases by restaurants increased by 2.5% to $8.8 billion.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total restaurant receipts decreased by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier.
Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the second quarter of 2026 with the second quarter of 2025, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 1.5% in value and 0.7% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 1.6% in value and 1.0% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops decreased by 1.5% in value and 2.5% in volume. Total receipts of bars decreased by 3.8% in value and 4.6% in volume. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts decreased by 2.7% in value and 3.6% in volume.
Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of total restaurant receipts decreased by 0.5% in both value and volume in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the preceding quarter.
Comparing the first half of 2026 with the same period in 2025, total restaurant receipts increased by 0.8% in value but decreased by 0.1% in volume.
To facilitate further understanding of the short-term business performance of the restaurants sector, statistics in respect of the restaurant receipts and purchases in individual months of the reference quarter are also compiled.
Analysed by month, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector increased by 0.9%, increased by 0.6% and decreased by 0.5% respectively in April, May and June 2026, compared with the corresponding months in 2025.
After discounting the effect of price changes, it was provisionally estimated that the volume of total restaurant receipts increased by 0.2%, decreased by 0.2% and decreased by 1.3% respectively in April, May and June 2026, compared with the corresponding months in 2025.
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that business of restaurants was largely steady recently. The value of total restaurant receipts increased by 0.4% in the second quarter over a year earlier, rendering an increase of 0.8% in the first half of the year.
Looking ahead, continued economic expansion, rising local incomes, and a steady increase in inbound visitors are expected to provide support to restaurant businesses. Yet, external uncertainties still constitute downside risks. The Government will continue to closely monitor the potential impacts of external developments on restaurant businesses.
Further information
Table 1 presents the revised figures of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant and total purchases by the restaurants sector for the first quarter of 2026 as well as the provisional figures for the second quarter of 2026.
Table 2 and Table 3 present the revised value and volume indices respectively of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant for the first quarter of 2026 and the provisional indices for the second quarter of 2026.
Table 4 presents the year-on-year rate of change in total restaurant receipts in value and volume terms based on the original quarterly series, as well as the quarter-to-quarter rate of change based on the seasonally adjusted series.
The revised figures on restaurant receipts and purchases for the second quarter of 2026 (with breakdown by month) will be released through the website of theC&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode540.html) and relevant publications of the Department from September 18, 2026.
The classification of restaurants follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.
More detailed statistics are given in the "Report on Quarterly Survey of Restaurant Receipts and Purchases". Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080002&scode=540).
Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of theC&SD (Tel: 3903 7401; e-mail: qsr@censtatd.gov.hk).
Source: AI-found images
