New rules for pedestrian safety near high-rises

Legal experts in China are suggesting new legislation be drafted to prevent injuries by objects falling from high-rise buildings, reports thepaper.cn.

This comes after the death of a young boy by a falling pane of glass in Shenzhen this month, on top of incidents in other cities.

The front window of a sedan is smashed by a falling window from the 27th floor of the nearby building in Zhengzhou, Henan province, on November 21, 2018. A sanitation worker was also injured in the incident. [Photo: IC]

Lawyers are suggesting the legislation needs to be drafted immediately to determine who should be accountable in such incidents, as well as outline punishment in cases where falling objects kill or injure people.

There have been doubts about the feasibility of holding all the residents of a high-rise accountable if the exact perpetrator cannot be found. Lawyers also say that determining punishment for youngsters and those unintentional perpetrators may also need to be considered.

Proposed legislation would also put the onus on property management companies by forcing them to take preventative measures, installing surveillance cameras, performing regular safety checks and erecting warning signs.

View of the net set to block rubbish thrown from high-rise residential buildings by a property company in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, July 8, 2017. [Photo: IC]

Other suggestions include a stricter review of the design and construction of high-rise buildings, more quality checks on the manufacturers of windows and glass, as well as reinforcement of awareness for residents in high-rise buildings.

Lawyers are recommending mainland lawmakers to review the current legislation in Hong Kong connected to high-rise building safety, the report says.