Aa
that the buildings are structurally safe, particularly in the case of older buildings or, for example, where timber joists are used in the flooring.
For private schools in purpose-built premises, there is no requirement under these regulations for such inspections, and it is the responsibility of the schools themselves to ensure that the buildings are safe.
All schools are regularly inspected by
le District Education Officers from the Education Department,
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سلام
بالا
and I have been advised by the Director of Education that, following the incident to which Mrs. Fan refers, it has been arranged that, during these inspections, the opportunity will be taken to remind school authorities that they should take appropriate action if they notice any signs of structural weakness.
In government and aided schools, the school authorities will report to the Director of Education any structural defects which they think might pose a risk.
The Director will then arrange for the fovernment
le Maintenance Surveyor to inspect the building, investigate
le
any problems, and advise on remedial action.
As a result of these arrangements, school premises are, in general, maintained in a reasonable state of repair and structural failures are very rare. In the unlikely event of a school building deteriorating to the point where it became positively unsafe, however, the Buildings Ordinance Office is empowered under Section 26
of the Buildings Ordinance, to take immediate action to close the affected part until it is rendered safe. Alternatively, where a building has been identified as showing signs of structural deterioration, the Buildings Ordinance Office may serve an order on the owners of the building to appoint a qualified person to investigate the extent of the problem, and to carry out remedial works.
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