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The Government will publish in the Gazette on December 4 (Friday) the Fire Services (Amendment) Bill 2015, which seeks to implement the Registered Fire Engineer (RFE) Scheme.
A spokesperson for the Security Bureau said, "Under the current legislation, a person who intends to run certain types of premises can only rely on the Fire Services Department's (FSD) services in making fire safety risk assessment of buildings/premises and certifying compliance with the relevant fire safety requirements.
"In order to facilitate business operations and optimise the use of professional human resources, we propose to implement the RFE Scheme to leverage professional engineers and qualified persons in the market for the provision of fire safety risk assessment and certification services."
The proposed Scheme will provide greater flexibility for applicants by offering them an additional option in completing the fire safety risk assessment and certification process. Such RFEs are expected to be able to complete the required risk assessment and certification services within a shorter turnaround time than it takes for the FSD, thus creating an incentive for applicants, particularly those who can afford the likely higher fees to be charged by RFEs, to switch from using the FSD's services. In addition, the RFEs are expected to be able to provide services with greater flexibility, such as conducting on-site inspections or compliance checks at more flexible hours. This notwithstanding, the FSD will maintain its existing risk assessment and certification services for applicants, thus providing flexibility for those who may prefer to continue using the FSD's services.
The FSD conducted trade consultations in 2007 and 2011 respectively to gauge the stakeholders' views on the RFE Scheme. The majority of stakeholders expressed support for the introduction of the RFE Scheme. Subsequently, the FSD commissioned a Business Impact Assessment study, which was conducted from mid-2012 to mid-2013. The study also found that stakeholders were generally supportive of the proposed RFE Scheme, and that there should be a sufficient supply of potential RFE candidates in the market.
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on December 16.
Ends/Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:56
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