Fire safety management and property management in Hong Kong

Abstract

High rise buildings are commonly found in Hong Kong. Neighbours are so close to one another that activity next door could bring disastrous effect to the whole building even if only minor malpractice is found in daily activities.

There had been a number of fires with large number of casualties and deaths in the recent years. Fire safety management in buildings across Hong Kong has been one of the most discussed topics in the territory by the government, politicians and the general public. Investigations of those incidents revealed that there are common malpractices found in those buildings – ineffective means of escape routes, unauthorized alteration to building usage and structures and low awareness on fire safety management. The government did take remedial actions after each fire by imposing more requirements on fire services equipments and systems for types of buildings that had been burnt in previous fires. Furthermore, ad hoc fleet checks to buildings with similar characteristics as where the fires were had also been carried out to meet public concern right after blazes. Long term measures such as enactment of new laws, amendments to existing codes of practice on fire safety equipments and systems, strengthening execution of laws towards offenders, launch of promotional programmes by the Fire Services Department to raise public concern on fire safety awareness have been in effect aiming at lowering the figures on fire cases and hence loss in lives and properties.

After series of actions taken, number of fire cases, casualties and deaths result from fire did not go down in the past few years. Building fire safety condition in two cities in South East Asia, Singapore and Tokyo, are taken for comparison with that of Hong Kong. It is discovered that there are merits from the two cities for our reference in order to get the safety levels of our buildings be raised. The two governments in Singapore and Tokyo take proactive approach on control and promotion of fire safety in buildings while our policies are passive ones. Besides, both Singaporean and Tokyo government plan their policies with focus on the weaknesses found that bring adverse effect to the key issue.

In order to cultivate safe atmosphere for citizens in Hong Kong, the government is strongly recommended to adopt proactive approach that addresses the root cause of the issue. Compulsory appointment of independent Fire Safety Manager, adoption of total fire safety management concepts with focus on emergency planning and drills, incentive programmes to raise the public awareness on building fire safety are expected to strengthen the concepts of fire safety in the community. On the other hand, compulsory formation of owners’ corporations, legal review and amendments to current ordinance on building management in order to maintain equilibrium for management power among stakeholders, including building managers, of buildings and last but not least, putting legal liability on professional building managers for fire safety malpractices are suggested measures to address the root causes of the phenomena.