A study on the fire safety management of public rental housing in Hong Kong

Abstract

At the end of the Pacific War, there were a large number of refugees flowing into Hong Kong from the Mainland China. Many of them lived in illegal squatter areas. In 1953, a big fire occurred in Shek Kip Mei squatter area which rendered these people homeless. The disastrous fire embarked upon the long term public housing development in Hong Kong. Today, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) which was established pursuant to the Housing Ordinance is charged with the responsibility to develop and implement a public housing programme in meeting the housing needs of people who cannot afford private rental housing. It is always a big challenge for the HKHA to manage and maintain a large portfolio of residential properties which were built across several decades under different architectural standards and topology. In particular, to ensure that the building stocks are maintained in a safe and habitable state remains fundamental importance. It is understandable that buildings constructed many years ago are unlikely to fully comply with current fire safety code. While endeavors on alteration and improvement works on fire safety provisions are always taken by HKHA, there may still be technical constraints on the scope of works to be undertaken. It is a general acceptance that good fire safety management (FSM) plays a key role in elevating the fire safety level of a building. In this research project, attempts will be made to study how organized and structured FSM will contribute to fire safety of existing HKHA buildings. A literature review will first be conducted on various fire risk assessment techniques. The local fire safety legislations and hence major deviations of the existing building stocks from the current fire safety codes; as well as the FSM practices in HKHA will also be reviewed. Although there is no mandatory requirement on FSM, the FSM practice within the HKHA is found to be structured and organized. The ignition frequencies of the housing stocks are further analysed empirically based on the available records of the fire incidents. There is no observed overall significant variation in the number of fires per block for each Block Group within the 5 years from 2006 to 2010; despite those older blocks may not be designed as per the current fire codes in comparison with those newer design blocks. Furthermore, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) technique will be used to study the effect of FSM on the reduction in fire risk level on a conceptual basis. Although the probabilities of basic events are not exactly known, it is possible to have an analysis on a comparative basis. Through a questionnaire approach to the professionals in the building industries (comprising Building Services Engineers, Building Surveyors and Estate Managers); the various probabilities are estimated to evaluate the risk level reduction as a result of structured FSM. The results reveal that the improvement in risk level is quite substantial. Finally, the thesis will discuss on the development and implementation issues for a FSM system in the setting of HKHA. While the FSM system in the organization is structured and organized, it is not a formal and systemic one. A formal system similar to that of occupational health and safety is therefore proposed. In addition, a Fire Safety Management Index scheme is also put forward to encourage the property owners and managers to commit on FSM as an interim measure even though formal legislation is not in place. The scheme will provide a means of recognition on the achievement of a high standard of building management regarding fire safety; which certainly adds values to the property.

Date of Award	3 Oct 2012
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Siu Ming LO (Supervisor)