Hong Kong Regulations

FIRE SERVICES (FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT) REGULATION - SECT 15

Locking of means of escape

(1) A person commits an offence if the person-

   (a)  secures or causes to be secured the means of escape in respect of any
        premises; or

   (b)  being the owner, tenant, occupier or person in charge of any premises,
        permits or suffers to be secured the means of escape in respect of the
        premises, by any lock or other device which in the event of fire or
        other calamity-

   (c)  cannot readily and conveniently be opened from within the premises
        without the use of a key; or

   (d)  might render escape materially more difficult.

(2) A person who commits an offence under this section shall be liable-

   (a)  on a first conviction, to a fine at level 6;

   (b)  on a subsequent conviction, to a fine of $200000 and to imprisonment
        for 1 year, and, in any case, to a further fine of $20000 for each day
        during which the offence continues.

(3) In any proceedings under subsection (2), a document purporting to be a
certificate signed by the Director stating that the person named in the
document was on the date specified in the document convicted of an offence
contrary to this section shall be admitted in evidence on its production.

(4) Unless the contrary is proved, it shall be presumed in respect of the
document admitted in evidence under subsection (3)-

   (a)  that it is a certificate signed by the Director; and

   (b)  that the person named in the document was on the date specified in the
        document convicted of an offence contrary to this section.