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A government audit has revealed delays and compliance issues in fire safety enforcement at industrial buildings, with nearly a quarter of targeted sites yet to be inspected and many enforcement actions issued behind schedule.
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The Audit Commission found that as of the end of June last year, 82 out of 345 target industrial buildings — about 24 percent — had not been inspected by the Fire Services Department and the Buildings Department.
Among the 273 buildings that had been inspected, 73 cases — or 27 percent — saw fire safety directions issued more than four months after inspection, exceeding the target timeframe.
The report also highlighted weak compliance rates. While fire safety directions issued for individual units achieved a compliance rate of 86 percent, those relating to common areas recorded a compliance rate of zero, with most improvement works yet to begin.
Delays in warning letters
The audit also pointed to delays in enforcement follow-up. The Buildings Department is expected to issue warning letters within three months if owners fail to submit required test reports after the compliance deadline.
However, of more than 3,800 warning letters issued, 66 percent were sent beyond the three-month target, with an average delay of 137 days and a maximum delay of 1,239 days.
In addition, 150 cases were identified where no warning letters had been issued despite the compliance period having expired for more than three months without response.
Calls for tighter monitoring
The Audit Commission said the Fire Services Department should improve the timeliness of issuing fire safety directions and regularly report inspection results, including setting clear deadlines for progress checks.
It also recommended that the Buildings Department review inspection schedules based on fire risk levels.
Both departments said they generally agreed with the audit’s recommendations and expressed appreciation for the review.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
