19th WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATED RESEARCH CENTRES FOR THE URBAN UNDERGROUND SPACE, Belgrade, Serbia, November 4-7, 2025. (Paper No: 4.1.13, pp. 659-670)
АУТОР(И) / AUTHOR(S): Yifeng LI, Zhikai Wei, Joseph Hong, Chao Guan
Download Full Pdf 
DOI: 10.46793/ACUUS2025.4.1.13
САЖЕТАК / ABSTRACT:
To enhance safety management, the Hong Kong Government issued a technical circular in 2023, promulgating the adoption of smart site Safety System (4S) in public works projects with a contract sum exceeding $30 million. Confined space (such as a tunnel, a cavern, etc.,) is considered as one of the most dangerous environments for construction, and is therefore specially listed in 4S plan as a separate item. This paper begins by summarizing common risks in tunnel construction and introduces the corresponding elements of 4S in confined space management, including confined space access control, worker health monitoring, equipment management, air quality monitoring, AI CCTV, electronic locking systems, and their integration into a Central Management Platform (CMP). For each functional component, the paper elaborates on targeted problem-solving approaches through 4S implementation, as well as the corresponding actions to be taken by administrators and safety officers in response to various alerts and notifications. Additionally, the paper highlights specific challenges that may arise during the application of 4S in confined space projects and proposes practical solutions. Furthermore, the paper discusses the application of 5G/IoT technologies during tunnel construction, which supports 4S functionalities and internet-based communication. The adoption of smart site systems represents an emerging trend in engineering project practices. It is hoped that the experiences summarized in this study will assist industry peers in strengthening confined space project management and fostering a safer working environment.
КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS:
Tunnel Construction; Smart Site Safety System (4S); 5G/IoT implementation; AI Safety Monitoring; Centralized Management Platform
ПРОЈЕКАТ / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
This paper is sponsored by the Technology Research and Development Project of China State Construction International Holdings Limited (CSCI-2023-Z-17).
ЛИТЕРАТУРА / REFERENCES:
- Labour Department, HKSARG. (2024). Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces (Second edition). Hong Kong, China.
- Labour Department, HKSARG. (2017). Guidance Notes on Safety and Health of Hand-dug Tunneling Work. Hong King, China.
- Development Bureau, HKSARG. (2023). Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No. 3/2023: Smart Site Safety System. Hong Kong, China.
- Chan, Y.W., Cheung, S.K.S., Ng, K.K., et al. (2024). A Preliminary Study on Developing and Training the Smart Site Safety System (SSSS) for Construction Industry in Hong Kong – Technology in Education. Innovative Practices for the New Normal, ICTE 2023. Singapore, 199-207.
- Chan, Y.W., Tsang, Y.F., Cheung, S.K.S., et al. (2024). A Study on the Design and Implementation of the Smart Site Safety System from the Stakeholders’ Perspectives – Blended Learning. Intelligent Computing in Education, ICBL 2024. Singapore. 287-299.
- Chan, Y.W., Ng, K.K., & Cheung, S.K.S. (2025). Implementation of smart training on construction site safety: A case study in Hong Kong. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 18(1), 30-49.
- Construction Industrial Council, https://www.cic.hk/content/4s-labelling/en/project-list.
- HKSAR Government. (1999). Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Confined Spaces) Regulation. Hong Kong, China.
- Drainage Department, HKSARG. (2021). Safety Supervision of Work in Confined Space. Hong Kong, China.