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Sunbase International Properties Management Limited was fined $10,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (October 29) for contravening the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance by allowing passengers to use a lift that did not have a valid use permit.
"This is the first time that the Responsible Person of a lift has been convicted for contravening the Ordinance since its enactment in December 2012. We welcome the verdict and will continue to strictly enforce the law to ensure safe and reliable lift services for the public," a spokesman for the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department said.
The court heard that the use permit of lift No. 38 at Chak Mei House in Yau Tong expired on March 22 this year. However, Sunbase International Properties Management Limited, which is responsible for managing the lift, did not stop the operation of the lift after the expiry. It was thus charged with contravening sections 13(2) and 13(4) of the Ordinance.
According to the Ordinance, a lift must be examined by a registered engineer every 12 months. The registered engineer shall sign the Safety Certificate and the Responsible Person or his/her representative shall subsequently apply for renewal of the use permit from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department to certify that the lift is in safe working order. To ensure timely renewal of the use permit, the Responsible Person should arrange an examination of the lift within two months before the expiry of the permit. Also, the Responsible Person shall display a valid use permit in a conspicuous position inside the lift car. Otherwise, the Responsible Person shall stop using or operating the lift.
Offenders of the above-mentioned sections of the Ordinance are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for 12 months.
Ends/Thursday, October 29, 2015
Issued at HKT 11:55
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