1. General Information

  1. The Public Works Laboratories (PWL) provide a range of testing services, on a non-profit making basis, to private customers. The services which can be provided include a range of tests on various construction materials and calibration of testing machines and equipment.
  2. The Schedule of Fees for tests has only listed a limited number of tests which the PWL may carry out for private customers only. As it is impractical to list out all the tests which the PWL may undertake, prospective customers with particular request for tests which are not contained in the Schedule are advised to consult the PWL.
  3. All enquiries regarding the PWL testing services should be addressed to :


    The Public Works Central Laboratory,
    Public Works Central Laboratory Building,
    2B Cheung Yip Street,
    Kowloon Bay,
    Kowloon,
    Hong Kong.

    Telephone : 2305 1290
    Fax : 2795 9611
    e-mail : pwcl_cto@cedd.gov.hk
  4. The PWL is accredited by the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) for specific tests. The scope of accreditation of the PWL is given in the HOKLAS Directory of Accredited Laboratories.

2. Procedure for Requesting Testing Services

  1. A prospective customer wishing to use the PWL testing services should contact the Public Works Central Laboratory (PWCL) stating their requirements. The PWL will then send an official quotation of estimated or actual fees to the customer, if the PWL could provide the requested services.
  2. The customer should sign and return the duplicate copy of the PWL quotation letter to indicate acceptance of the fees and conditions of service within the time period specified on the letter. After which, the customer should contact the PWCL to arrange a suitable date for delivery of the samples or equipment and manuals.
  3. On completion of testing, the customer will be informed regarding the collection or return of the samples and items of equipment.

3. Conditions of Service

3.1 Testing Requirements

  1. The PWL reserve the right to accept or decline any request for testing.
  2. Samples submitted for testing should satisfy the requirements of the testing standard relevant to the test requested. Each sample must bear a unique identification marking.
  3. Equipment submitted for calibration tests should satisfy the following conditions:
    1. The equipment must be in clean condition.
    2. The equipment must be in good working order.
    3. The equipment must bear some unique permanent identification marking, such as a serial number.
    4. The equipment must be accompanied by any specialised accessories and service manuals required for its calibration.
  4. The PWL will not undertake any maintenance or servicing of equipment submitted. When the equipment is found to be faulty, or to have developed a fault during calibration, the item will be rejected. Under such circumstances a partial refund of the testing fees may be made to the client, subject to the cost incurred in carrying out the test.
  5. The term 'calibration' refers to the set of operations which establish, under specified conditions, the relationship between values indicated by a measuring instrument or measuring system, or values represented by a material measure, and the corresponding known values of the measurement standards maintained by the PWL. Unless otherwise stated, the fees quoted by the PWL for the calibration of equipment will not include adjustment of the equipment.
  6. Upon special request by the customer, and at the sole discretion of the PWL, minor adjustment to the equipment may be made to improve its performance or to bring it within specification subject to the following conditions:
    1. the adjustment procedure is relatively straight forward,
    2. the procedure is clearly documented in the submitted service manuals,
    3. the procedure will not result in a significant increase in the time otherwise required to complete the calibration,
    4. the equipment is accompanied by all the necessary accessories required to perform the adjustment, and
    5. an extra fee may be payable for such adjustments and recalibration after adjustments.
    Please note that pre-adjustment data are not normally reported on the Test Certificate and Report.
  7. The PWL shall not be liable for any fault or damage to the samples or items of equipment submitted, while in its custody, unless the fault or damage was caused by PWL staff intentionally or recklessly.
  8. If the client failed to collect the tested samples or items of equipment within 30 days after the test certificates have been issued, PWL may dispose such samples or items of equipment as they deem appropriate.
  9. The PWL shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by the customer or any other party for any reason arising from or relating to the PWL's undertaking pertaining to the work requested unless the PWL did not act in good faith in performing such an undertaking.

3.2 Testing Fees and Payment

  1. The quotation to the customer will give the estimated or actual fees for the tests requested. The actual fees will be based on the Schedule of Fees which is published by the PWL and subject to revision from time to time.
  2. A Demand Note will be issued to the customer once the actual fees are determined. The customer should settle the amount shown on the Demand Note within 14 days of the date of its issue.

3.3 Test Certificates and Reports

  1. Test Certificates and/or Reports will be issued to the customer upon completion of testing, and on production of evidence that the fees have been settled.
  2. The results given in the Test Certificates and Reports only relate to the values measured at such time when the testing was conducted under controlled environment in the PWL. For calibration tests, any quoted measurement uncertainties will not include allowance for the equipment's long-term drift, variations with environmental changes, vibration and shock during transportation, or the capability of any other laboratory to repeat the measurement.
  3. The Hong Kong Government reserves the copyright of the Test Certificates and Reports. These documents must not be copied or published in part or in full without the prior written approval of the PWL.

Laboratory Testing Services