Transcript 投影片 1 - Social Welfare Department 社 會 福 利 署


13 February 2004
(I)
The Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation
Centres (Licensing) Ordinance [“the Ordinance”] :

1.
The Ordinance comes into operation on 1st April 2002.
Under the Ordinance, all treatment centres [“Centres”]
are subject to a licensing regime to ensure, amongst
others, the safety and well-being of the inmates and
occupant of the Centres.
(I)
The Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation
Centres (Licensing) Ordinance [“the Ordinance”] :

2.
Buildings Department [“BD”] offers advice on
applications for registration to Social Welfare Department
in regard to the suitability of the premises in the
following areas:
(i)
Structural safety;
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Fire resisting construction;
Means of escape and access for fire fighting and rescue;
Lighting and ventilation;
Provision of sanitary fitments; and
Unauthorized building works affecting public safety.
(II)
Locking device to room with normal occupancy :

1. The locking device installed to an exit door of a room
having normal occupancy shall be of the type which is
capable of being readily opened from the inside without
the use of a key. An electrically operated locking device
is acceptable provided that such lock is capable of being
readily opened from the inside, and upon power failure,
the electrical locking device shall also be released
automatically.
(II)
Locking device to room with normal occupancy :

2.
Store room, plant room, etc. are regarded as not
carrying normal occupancy. However, in case there is
clear indication from the Operator that a store room /
plant room is used for restraining person(s) therein,
locking device installed at the door of such store room /
plant room shall comply with the aforesaid
requirements.
(III) Village-type-houses [“VTH”] or
New Territories exempted houses [“NTEH”] :

Premises located in a VTH or NTEH are not constructed to
the current standards and carry inherent deficiencies in
terms of means of escape provision and storey headroom.
There are practical difficulties in up-grading VTH or
NTEH to achieve full compliance with the current
standards / codes of practice.
(IV) Exit staircase in VTH /NTEH :

BD has reviewed the situation. BD is prepared to adopt a
pragmatic and practical approach on the means of escape
requirements for those Centres that have been in operation
prior to the coming into effect of the Ordinance and subject
to Certificate of Exemption [“CoE”] and are located in
VTH / NTEH, provided that:
(i)
The existing staircase is having a minimum clear headroom
of not less than 2000mm;
(IV) Exit staircase in VTH /NTEH :

(ii)
The existing staircase is without any winder;
(iii) The existing staircase is properly enclosed by fire resisting
construction / materials, and its elements of construction
are non-combustible; and
(iv) The existing staircase is leading direct to a street or open
area at ground floor level;
(IV) Exit staircase in VTH /NTEH :

BD will accept the existing staircases in these Centres as if
they comply with the following requirements:
(i)
The existing staircase should
clear width of not less than 900mm;
have
a
minimum
(ii) Reasonable allowance would be given to maximum height
of 175mm for risers and the minimum width of 225mm for
treads of the staircase;
(IV) Exit staircase in VTH /NTEH :

(iii)
Doorway
communicating
with
the
staircase
at
its
final discharge point at ground floor level would
be allowed subject to:
a. The whole building is owned / rented by the Centre;
b. The ground floor doorway of the staircase is not
leading to a kitchen or places of high fire risk (such as
LPG chambers, pantry with cooking activities);
c. The ground floor doorway is protected by door which is
capable of self-closing and having an fire resisting
period of not less than half an hour; and
d. The means of escape provision of the whole building is
adequate (i.e. the staircase width is adequate, and
access to the roof is unobstructed).
(V) Storey headroom requirement for VTH / NTEH :

BD is also prepared to adopt a pragmatic and relaxed
approach on the lighting and ventilation requirements listed
below towards those Centres that have been in operation
prior to the coming into effect of the Ordinance and subject
to CoE and are located in VTH / NTEH:
(V) Storey headroom requirement for VTH / NTEH :

“Subject to the provision of adequate artificial lighting
and mechanical ventilation to the satisfaction of the
Building Authority, existing Centres located in VTH or
NTEH with storey headroom less than 2500mm (from
floor to underside of ceiling) or 2300mm (from floor to
underside of beam) would be favorably considered as
acceptable in the context of paragraph 5.6.1 of the Code
of Practice for Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and
Rehabilitation Centres issued by the Director of Social
Welfare.”
( VI) Unauthorized Building Works [“UBW”] :

1. Premises / structures of the Centres come within
‘building / building works’ as defined in the Buildings
Ordinance [“BO”] (Cap. 123), and they require
approval and consent from the Building Authority
prior to the commencement of their construction.
(VI)
Unauthorized Building Works [“UBW”] :

2. Premises / structures of the Centres which were
constructed without having obtained prior approval and
consent necessary under the BO (Cap. 123) are
objectionable UBW and are unsuitable for licensing,
unless these premises / structures are exempted under
the previous or current editions of the Buildings
Ordinance (Application to the New Territories)
Ordinance and Regulations which are administered by
the Director of Lands.
3. Prior to the issue of a licence, all objectionable UBW
affecting the Centre shall be removed.
(VII) Expert Opinion :

1. For premises / structures of the Centres not
complying with the building and accommodation
requirements laid down in the Code of Practice for
Drug
Dependent
Persons
Treatment
and
Rehabilitation Centres [the “Code of Practice”], the
Licensing Authority may require the submission of
an Expert Opinion by an Authorized Person [“AP”]
and / or Registered Structural Engineer [“RSE”]
within two years after the issue of the first Certificate
of Exemption [the “CoE”].
(VII) Expert Opinion :

2. In the Expert Opinion, the AP and / or RSE should
give his view on whether the premises /structures of
the Centres would pose undue hazards from fire
safety and structural stability.
3. The Operator and his AP / RSE are reminded to read
through the ‘Guidance Notes on Submission of
Expert Opinion’ enclosed with the CoE, where
appropriate, issued to the Centres.
(VIII) Pre-submission Enquiry :

1. For any re-development proposal, settling the design
principles involved at an early stage will help the redevelopment to proceed with confidence and avoid
any abortive work later on.
2. To facilitate early clearance of basic design principles,
BD will upon a written enquiry from the Operator’s
AP provide a determination on the matters involved.
(VIII) Pre-submission Enquiry :

3. BD will solicit comments on the written enquiry from
related departments such as Fire Services Department
and Lands Department which will also be conveyed to
the Operator’s AP.
4. It is recommended that the Operator’s AP should make
use of this facility as early as possible on issues and
principles involved.
4. Guidelines to ‘Pre-submission Enquiry’ can be found
in Practice Note for Authorized Persons and
Registered Structural Engineers No. 272 [“PNAP 272”]
issued by BD.
