We control all private building development in Hong Kong under the Buildings Ordinance and allied legislation. Any person who intends to carry out building works is required by law to appoint an authorized person, and where necessary a registered structural engineer, to prepare and submit plans for the approval of Building Authority under the Buildings Ordinance. He is also required to appoint a registered contractor to carry out the building works. Authorized persons, registered structural engineers and registered contractors have statutory responsibilities for co-ordinating, supervising and carrying out building works and submitting stability certificates and test reports. When breach of statutory previsions is identified, the Building Authority may order works to cease or to be remedied.
Offenders are also liable to prosecution or disciplinary proceedings.
We will check plans for compliance with the law and refer them to other relevant Government departments for examination in their areas of concern. This centralized processing system ensures that all statutory standards, safety and other requirements under law are met. Consent to commence building works is required from the Building Authority before the works start and we will monitor sites with works in progress and inspect sites regularly, particularly at critical stages, for safety assurance and for compliance with statutory requirements under law. The Department advises licensing authorities on the adequacy of means of escape and structural suitability of premises for uses such as restaurants, other food businesses, non-purpose built schools, child care centres and places of public entertainment. In processing restaurant, other food business and places of public entertainment licence applications, the Department has adopted streamlined procedures which rely to a great extent upon self-regulation of authorized persons and register structural engineers in certifying compliance with building safety requirements.