Safety breaches, substandard materials, management failures caused Fuzhou accident: report

Authorities in Fuzhou in China's Fujian province said on Tuesday that a major accident at a local expressway project that killed five workers was caused by extensive safety breaches, substandard materials and management failures.

In the report released Tuesday, emergency management authorities in Fuzhou proposed criminal charges against key personnel, administrative penalties for the relevant construction companies and further investigation of local public officials.

The fatal high-altitude accident occurred early on July 17 at a construction site on an airport expressway project in Fuzhou. Following the unauthorized commencement of an operation on a bridge, a subsequent collapse killed five workers and resulted in financial losses of 8.93 million yuan ($1.28 million).

According to the report, the investigation identified several direct causes, including the use of substandard anchor shoe materials, workers violating procedures during the lifting operation, failure to use required safety restraints, and insufficient design safety margins in the climbing formwork system.

The report also found that the three workers who initiated the illegal procedure died in the collapse, with their liability waived as a result.

However, criminal charges resulting from the accident have been proposed against a professional operator, surnamed Tang, who was absent during the operation, and a team leader, surnamed Li, who tacitly permitted the dangerous operation.

Administrative penalties have been recommended against the four companies primarily involved and their legal representatives.

Disciplinary action has been proposed for 16 individuals within the enterprises concerned, while 14 local government and enterprise public officials are under investigation by the city's disciplinary commission for supervisory failings.