Gas
safety work in Hong Kong gathered momentum in 1979 towards
a more structured approach, when a fatal gas incident that
year led to a death inquiry recommendation that the Government
should appoint a Gas Safety Advisor. The Government then commissioned
a consultancy study on town gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas
(LPG) operations and safety standards which recommended, among
other things, the setting up of a Gas Standards Office (GasSO).
With continuous improvement over the past three decades, Hong
Kong is among the world’s top cities for gas safety
performance.
About the Gas Standards Office
The GasSO was established in 1982 to prepare safety legislation
and set up a regulatory framework for the gas industry. When
the Gas Safety Ordinance came into effect in 1991, its role
expanded into enforcement. Today it is responsible for:
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Administering
a register of gas supply companies, gas contractors and
installers, monitoring their performance, and enforcing
safety measures as necessary. |
| • |
Monitoring the
operation of all gas installations and associated facilities,
and inspecting and approving the construction of new notifiable
gas installations. |
| • |
Preparing and
approving codes of practice, conducting regular inspections
of gas installations, and approving domestic gas appliances. |
| • |
Conducting gas
safety education programmes for the trade and the public
via the media and GasSO publications, and leveraging events
and competitions. |
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