fsm briefing 2013 - scdf · certificate 1 1 failure to obtain fire safety certificate 13 44 2 1 60...

FSM BRIEFING 2013

COMMON FIRE SAFETY NON-COMPLIANCES, SCDF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS & AMENDMENTS TO FSA

CPT NEO JIN XIANG

TEAM LEADER

ENFORCEMENT & PROSECUTION BRANCH

CENTRAL ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT

SCOPE OF PRESENTATION

Introduction

SCDF’s Fire Safety Enforcement Approach

State of Fire Safety in Our Buildings

Amendment to Fire Safety Act

Types of Fire Safety Non-Compliances

Case Studies

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

To create a fire safe environment by enforcing the FSA and achieved

through

Scheduled fire safety checks

Responding to public feedback

Concerted joint efforts by SCDF, building managements, owners,

CERTs and FSMs

Types of Enforcement Checks

Non scheduled or complaints

Scheduled – attended by fire stations

Re-inspections

SCDF FIRE SAFETY APPROACH

Types of Enforcement Actions

Serving of notices via FHAN

Serving of fines via NOC and NFSO

Court actions

Commissioner Closure

Fire Hazard Order – Abatement, Prohibition and

Closure

FHAN NOC

COURT

CHARGE

FIRE

HAZARD

ORDER


Types of Fire Safety Non-Compliances

Fire hazards

Fire safety violations


SCDF issues FHAN

Fire hazard not addressed

Court Action

SCDF issues NOC


SCDF’s Fire Safety Enforcement Regime

Violation found


Fire Hazards Fire safety violations

SCDF issues NFSO

Violation not addressed

Court Action

Subsequent NFSOs

Violation not addressed

Breakdown of Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHAN) issued in Jan –

Jun 2013

STATE OF FIRE SAFETY IN OUR BUILDINGS

Offence Industrial Commercial PE Outlets Residential Others Total (Jan – Jun 13) Total (Jul – Dec 12)

Overcrowding 1 1 1 3 3

Obstruction (exits/ fire engine access)

95 71 5 25 8 204 281

Locked exits 1 1 2 1

Exit signs not illuminated 206 41 8 8 13 276 221

Storage of combustible / flammable material

45 11 13 1 70 140

Non-maintenance of fire – fighting equipment (hosereel/fire extinguisher)

88 18 4 3 8 121 128

Non-maintenance of fire alarm system

30 13 7 17 67 52

Storage along perimeter fencing 2 2 12

Poor housekeeping (storage within staircase/hosereel / risers, fire fighting lobby)

41 9 11 1 62 31

Failure to comply with SCDF guidelines for HDB Shopfront

2 1

Others (General fire hazards eg FD wedged opened, FD missing, fire door closure faulty, placement of items along 5-foot way etc)

149 59 6 63 7 284 341

Total 658 226 24 130 55 1093 1210

Breakdown of Notices of Fire Safety Offence (NFSO) issued in Jan –

Jun 2013


Offence Industrial Commercial PE Outlets Residential Others Total (Jan – Jun 13) Total (Jul – Dec 12)

Change of use without approval 206 73 1 187 22 489 710

Carrying fire safety works without approval

196 75 1 14 4 290 304

Storage &/or transportation of Petroleum &/or Flammable Materials without licence

39 25 21 18 103 109

Occupied building without Fire Certificate

1 1

Failure to obtain Fire Safety Certificate

13 44 2 1 60 48

Unauthorised erection of LPG manifold system

4 113 117 33

Sales & supply of Petroleum & Flammable Materials

9 15 24 25

Non-compliance to Temporary Permit (TP) requirement

3 3 7

Others 22 39 1 59 121 116

Total 490 387 4 223 104 1208 1352

In retrospect

6205 fire safety inspections conducted in first half of 2013

1093 FHANs, 133 NOCs and 1208 NFSOs issued

Slight decrease in numbers of fire safety non-compliances as compared

to 2nd half of 2012

Increase in fires at commercial and industrial premises


AMENDMENTS TO FIRE SAFETY ACT

(1) Enhancing Enforcement

Greater clarity on Commissioner’s Closure Order Powers against recalcitrant offenders Increasing fine quanta

(2) Enhancing Investigative Powers

Powers for fire investigation

(3) Improving Fire Safety Provisions

Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Company Emergency Response Team (CERT)

(4) Control of Petroleum and Flammable Materials (P&FM)

Regulation of pipelines Bottling of P&FM

(5) Powers for Marine Fire-Fighting and Rescue (MFFR)

Powers to carry out MFFR functions Powers for MFF charging

(6) Miscellaneous Amendments

Existing

Comr is currently empowered to issue a closure order in an emergency for a period up to 72 hours if: FHAN not complied with; and

the fire hazard to which the notice relates —

(a) constitutes an immediate or substantial danger of fire in or on the premises; or

(b) is likely, if fire breaks out in or on the premises, to increase the normal risk to life which occurs in the event of a fire, and

Safety of persons within the premises cannot be reasonably ensured by any other means.

Proposed

Provision has been refined so that closure orders can be effected when it is deemed necessary for the safety of persons to do so

ENHANCING FIRE SAFETY ENFORCEMENT

Greater Clarity on Commissioner’s Closure Order


SCDF issues FHAN


1. Comr may abate fire hazard

2. Comr’s Closure Order

3. Fire Hazard Order

SCDF issues NOC (up to $500)


Existing Proposed

SCDF issues FHAN


• SCDF issues NOC (up to $5000)

• Premises required to submit Fire

Hazard Mitigation Plan (FHMP)


1. Comr may abate fire hazard

2. Comr’s Closure Order

3. Fire Hazard Order

SCDF’s Fire Safety Enforcement Regime


Increasing Fines Quanta

To increase fine quanta to serve as harsher penalties for offenders and to be in line with similar offences under the Building Control Act

Offences Current Proposed

Unauthorized fire

safety works

- Maximum ceiling $50,000

- Imprisonment up to 12 months



Failure to supervise

fire safety works





Non-compliance to

closure orders





Composition of

offences

- Fine up to $500 - Fine up to $5,000

Miscellaneous Amendments

Providing Comr flexibility to grant partial Fire Certificate (FC) to facilitate

continued operation for rectification works

Provision of communication system in specific buildings is stipulated in

the Fire Code

To regularise, as such a system constitutes part of fire safety measures,

definition of ‘fire safety measures’ amended to include means of

communication to facilitate evacuation and fire fighting


Miscellaneous Amendments

Fire Safety Engineers (FSE)

At present, Comr can constitute an Inquiry Committee (IC) only when he

receives any written complaint against FSE

Comr will be given the flexibility to constitute IC at his discretion to

consider disciplinary actions against FSE

Comr also need not be bound by the findings and recommendations of

IC in taking disciplinary action against FSE

Another amendment is to give Comr the powers to exempt applicants

from certain prescribed practical and academic qualifications


Non-maintenance of fire fighting provisions

EXAMPLES OF FIRE HAZARDS

Obstruction to means of escape


Overcrowding


FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Fire safety violations

Contravention to requirements in FSA and its regulations

Storage or mismanagement of Petroleum and Flammable

Material

Carry out fire safety works without approval

Change of use of premises

EXAMPLES OF FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Unlicensed Storage of P and FM


Unauthorised Fire Safety Works


Unauthorised Change of Use


Unauthorised Foreign Worker Dormitories

Unfolding of Events

On 30 April 13 at 1046 hrs, SCDF Ops centre received multiple calls for case of

warehouse on fire at 15 Link Road

12 SCDF appliances despatched to location

Fire well alight at 2 industrial units at 11 and 15 Link Road and spread to roof of 17 Link

Road

Fire put out after 3 hr, damages to contents of units 11, 15 and 17 Link Road

Units 9 and 19 Link Road sustained heat and smoke damages

CASE STUDY – FIRE AT 15 LINK ROAD

CASE STUDY – FIRE AT 15 LINK ROAD

Fire Safety Inspection Findings

Preliminary findings at No. 9, 11, 15, 17, 19 and 21 Link Road revealed fire safety violations

such as:

Increased fire risk due to unauthorised P and FM (Diesel tanks, Acetylene cylinders)

Unauthorised structures at rear of units added difficulty in effective approach and fire

fighting

Unauthorised dormitories placing occupants at undue fire risks

Unfolding of Events

On 21 May 2013 @ 2313 hrs, SCDF Ops Centre received multiple calls for case of

warehouse on fire at 37 Tuas Basin Link, Lam Thong Corporation Pte Ltd

16 emergency appliances despatched

Fire put out after 1 hr, total damage to factory building

Post fire investigation revealed fire safety non-compliances including Increased fire risk due to unlicensed storage of P and FM (Toluene, Ethyl Acetate and

Isopropyl Alcohol)

Storage of combustible material along driveway hindered fire fighting operations

Unauthorised platform in storage area added difficulty to effective fire fighting

Enforcement actions taken against operator

CASE STUDY – 37 TUAS BASIN LINK FIRE

Staff and public placed under added fire risks

Potential fire spread to neighbouring units

Operation halted and revenue losses

Inspections carried out at errant premises entails stern enforcement

actions

Building owners responsible in ensuring fire safety standards within

buildings

FSMs to assist building owners in policing fire safety

CONCLUSION

Good Fire Safety Standards

MCST FSM

SCDF

THANK YOU

fsm briefing 2013 - scdf · certificate 1 1 failure to obtain fire safety certificate 13 44 2 1 60...

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