Hong Kong adopts tougher scaffold net fire standard
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s Buildings Department began following the updated mainland national standard for scaffold safety nets on September 1, after the new GB 5725-2025 standard took effect on the same date. The revision introduces separate flame-retardant limits for different manufacturing methods and requires product certificates to identify how each net was made
Key Points
- The updated national standard, GB 5725-2025 “Safety Nets for Fall Protection”, was issued by China’s market regulator and standardization authority in August last year and replaced GB 5725-2009 on September 1
- The Buildings Department also adopted the new version on September 1, requiring local contractors to ensure scaffold nets are laboratory-tested under the revised standard
- Unlike the old rules, the new standard classifies three net types by manufacturing method: bonded woven nets, drawn-yarn warp-knitted nets, and impregnated coated nets
- Flame-retardant limits now differ by type: bonded woven and drawn-yarn warp-knitted nets must not exceed four seconds of afterflame and afterglow, while impregnated coated nets must not exceed two seconds
- Scaffolding trade union chairman Ho Ping-tak (何炳德) said impregnated coated nets lose colour, become brittle and see flame-retardant properties dissipate faster under sunlight, so tighter rules are safer
Why It Matters
The change gives Hong Kong contractors and testing centres a clearer basis to distinguish scaffold nets by type and apply different testing and usage arrangements. Trade representatives say the stricter requirement for impregnated coated nets could improve site safety, and suggested the government step up spot checks on that category