Foam-sealed windows fall under Buildings Department enforcement, hearing told

Foam-sealed windows used in building works fall under the enforcement scope of the Buildings Department and breach existing regulations, a hearing about the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire was told on its 18th day.

Giving evidence on Monday, Karen Cheung Yuk-ching, Assistant Director of the Buildings Department, confirmed that using foam materials to block windows during maintenance works contravenes the Buildings Ordinance and is subject to the department’s regulatory and enforcement responsibilities.

She said the use of inappropriate materials could pose fire safety risks, while sealing windows could obstruct ventilation and natural light, preventing residents from assessing external conditions during emergencies and creating additional danger. The department would take enforcement action in such cases, she added.

Senior counsel to the hearing, Victor Dawes, asked whether sealing windows with foam was a common practice. Cheung said she had not encountered such a method, adding that inspections of 400 buildings conducted after the Wang Fuk Court fire had found no similar cases.

Dawes also questioned whether there was any inconsistency in regulatory interpretation, referring to earlier remarks by Housing Bureau independent checking unit surveyor Andy Ku Siu-ping, who had reportedly told residents before the fire that no specific legislation governed window-sealing materials. Cheung did not respond directly, saying the issue should be addressed to Ku.

Cheung said fire safety oversight is shared between departments, with the Buildings Department responsible for passive fire protection installations, while the Fire Services Department oversees active systems.

She acknowledged areas of overlap, but said both departments maintain communication and have mechanisms for referrals and joint operations where necessary.

She also said both the Buildings Department and the Labour Department regulate the fire resistance of scaffolding netting. Contractors and registered inspectors are required to ensure such materials meet flame-retardant standards verified by accredited laboratories.

Meanwhile, Cheung said following a scaffolding fire at a commercial building in Central last October, the department issued guidance to the industry on fire safety of materials.

However, she acknowledged that prior to the Wang Fuk Court fire, the department did not conduct random sampling of scaffolding netting, relying instead on documentation checks.
 

 

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