A construction sector representative on Thursday said he hopes workers found smoking at building sites will not be summarily fired once a ban comes into effect. A legal amendment to outlaw smoking on construction sites is expected to be submitted to the Legislative Council for scrutiny within weeks, following last year's devastating Tai Po fire. The penalties for breaching the law are yet to be decided, but it is thought some employers will also sack offenders. Chau Sze-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, told an RTHK programme that he supports the proposed new legislation. But he added that he thinks only those who smoke in high-risk locations should lose their jobs right away. "There should be clear guidelines and sufficient education for workers," he said. "For instance, we can set up different zones at the sites where smoking is strictly prohibited in one place – and for which offenders will get fired right away – while warnings can first be issued in some other zones. If workers don't improve, eventually they will be fired." Johnnie Chan, spokesman for the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies, said he welcomes the government's proposal to hold the sector legally responsible for ensuring building fire safety. He noted that at present, guidelines that suggest workers obtain Fire Services Department permission to switch off fire alarms are not legally binding. "During building renovation, workers from some construction firms turn off the fire safety systems temporarily without notifying the management companies or owners' corporations for the sake of convenience. Problems [can] arise from situations like this," he said.