Gov’t launches scheme allowing private professionals to certify fire safety

The scheme will launch in November.

The Security Bureau filed a regulation with the Legislative Council (LegCo) to allow qualified private professionals to conduct fire safety risk assessments and issue certifications for fire safety compliance.

According to the Security Bureau, a person who intends to run various types of licensed premises can only rely on public services in making a fire safety risk assessment of the premises concerned and certifying fire safety compliance.

To facilitate business operations and make good use of professional and qualified human resources in the market, the bureau proposed to introduce the RFE Scheme to leverage professional engineers and qualified people in the market for the provision of fire safety risk assessment and certification services.

The Fire Safety Department will continue to deliver such services to members of the public if they so choose.

Apart from offering an additional option to the market, the implementation of the scheme could promote the development of the fire engineering profession. The fees of RFE services would be determined by the market.

The bureau highlighted that one of the key considerations for the Government in introducing the RFE Scheme is that it must not compromise fire safety and public safety.

Hence, in formulating the regulation, the Government aims to regulate RFE registration, and the provisions will cover the registration mechanism and duties of RFEs, the disciplinary and appeal mechanisms, as well as the issue of the code of practice.

The Fire Services (Registered Fire Engineers) Regulation is subject to LegCo’s scrutiny by the positive vetting procedures.

At a later stage, the government will introduce into LegCo the other three pieces of subsidiary legislation which are relevant to the implementation of the RFE Scheme for negative vetting.

Separately, the Secretary for Security will specify November 1 as the commencement date by notice in the Gazette, so that the scheme can start on the same day.