The remaining batch of new fire-retardant scaffolding nets are expected to be fully distributed to contractors by early February, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said on Friday. The move follows a large-scale procurement effort by the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to help the industry comply with enhanced safety standards introduced after last year’s deadly Tai Po fire. The CIC began supplying the newly certified nets on Thursday, having acquired around 50,000 sheets to cover 418 building projects affected by a removal order for previous netting. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Linn praised the collective procurement as a good example of industry support, adding the CIC will compile a recommended list of reliable manufacturers to reference in future. "This time, we have this exemplary role, and the council will take an extra step by conducting more research and data collection," she said. "Then, there will be a recommended list. The manufacturers currently being used will indeed be on this list, and the hope is to gather more reputable manufacturers that can meet our needs in Hong Kong. "Having this list will provide contractors with good references, even if they are not limited to using it." She also suggested that the industry could explore collective procurement on their own moving forward. Currently, the CIC is sourcing nets from two manufacturers, which Linn said had managed to meet the urgent demand of more than 400 projects in a short time — a situation she described as "quite unique". "We will continue to add more to the list. I believe this can generally meet everyone's needs," she said. Speaking on the same programme, Lawrence Ng, Honorary Life President of the Hong Kong Construction Sub-contractors Association, said the success of the recommended list depends on having enough qualified suppliers, especially for smaller firms. He said some larger construction firms have their own suppliers that meet the required standards, but smaller enterprises may struggle to find quality options. "Currently, the challenge lies more with small and medium-sized enterprises that may only be handling one or two projects and need support," he said. "I think if the Construction Industry Council doesn't mind, they could take an additional step to find a couple more suppliers, primarily to support smaller companies." The first batch of 3,000 nets arrived in Hong Kong on January 8 and underwent additional verification to ensure they met the mainland fire safety standards. They have already been allocated to 11 contractors.