1974-1975 — Page 56

Committee

Working Party on Fire Safety in

Buildings

Sub-Committee of the above Working

Party in respect of means of escape in case of fire

5.04

Representative(s)

Principal Government Building

Surveyor (Chairman)

Government Building Surveyor

(General) (Chairman)

Chief Building Surveyor (Hong Kong)

(West)

Government Building Surveyor

(General)

Government Building Surveyor

(Works)

Chief Building Surveyor (Hong

Kong) (West)

Building Surveyor (Special Duties)

The P.W.D./Authorised Persons and Registered Structural Engineers Liaison Group consisting of representatives from the Buildings Ordinance Office, the Engineering Society of Hong Kong, the Institute of Structural Engineers (Hong Kong Branch), the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Hong Kong Branch) serves a useful link between Government and Authorised Persons and Registered Structural Engineers in private practice. During the year five meetings were convened during which various views were exchanged on matters arising from the interpretation and application of the Buildings Ordinance and allied legislation.

5.05 The Office maintained, in conjunction with the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, two separate but related organisations to provide a service to the public in the event of emergencies arising from building collapses, fire, landslips, etc. One organisation provides professional staff on an around-the-clock basis which is now being done with the help of a new radio paging system which enables professional staff on duty to be called from any part of the territory. The second organisation is set up during typhoons, or when there are excessive rains, whereby professional officers are available on a shift basis to attend to reports of damage or danger to private buildings.

5.06

In the interest of clarifying the actual profession of a person qualified to submit building plans to the Building Authority for approval and to accept the many other onerous responsibilities in private building development, the Buildings (Amendment) Ordinance 1974 became operational on the 1st October 1974.

5.07 This new amendment, along with consequential amendments to various regulations under the Buildings Ordinance, has altered the title of Authorised Architect to that of Authorised Person; provided for a separate list of architects, civil engineers and surveyors in the Register of Authorised Persons; provided for the registration of Structural Engineers and their duties and functions under the Ordinance; and has amended the provisions relating to the appointment and constitution of disciplinary boards.

5.08 The Temporary Restriction of Building Development (Pokfulam and Mid-Levels) Ordinance 1973 was amended on the 1st January 1975 to delete the Pokfulam area from the provisions of this Ordinance which temporarily

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