FSM BRIEFING 2014

COMMON FIRE SAFETY NON-COMPLIANCES AND SCDF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

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

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

SCDF FIRE SAFETY APPROACH

Types of Fire Safety Non-Compliances

Fire hazards

Fire safety violations

SCDF FIRE SAFETY APPROACH

SCDF issues FHAN Fire hazard not addressed

Court Action

SCDF issues NOC Fire hazard not addressed

SCDF’s Fire Safety Enforcement Regime

Violation found

SCDF FIRE SAFETY APPROACH

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 – Dec 2013

STATE OF FIRE SAFETY IN OUR BUILDINGS

Offence Industrial Commercial PE Outlets Residential Others Total (Jan – Dec 13) Total (Jan – June 14)

Overcrowding 1 1 2 4 4

Obstruction (exits/ fire engine access and other fire safety measures eg. hosreel, extinguishers)

209 138 7 43 30 427 357

Locked exits 4 3 1 1 9 6

Exit signs not illuminated 403 59 9 14 35 520 377

Storage of combustible / flammable material

189 29 1 37 12 268 131

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

166 40 6 5 20 237 175

Non-maintenance of fire alarm system

47 23 1 19 43 133 85

Storage along perimeter fencing 6 1 7 6

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

66 11 1 22 13 113 83

Failure to comply with SCDF guidelines for HDB Shopfront

2 2 6

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

312 106 10 124

2 583 393

Total 1403 412 38 265 185 2303 1623

Breakdown of Notices of Fire Safety Offence (NFSO) issued in Jan – Dec 2013

STATE OF FIRE SAFETY IN OUR BUILDINGS

Offence Industrial Commercial PE Outlets Residential Others Total (Jan – Dec 13) Total (Jan – Jun 14)

Change of use without approval 457 133 1 455 33 1079 625

Carrying fire safety works without approval

395 115 1 22 13 546 296

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

84 46 41 24 195 134

Occupied building without Fire Certificate

1 1 2 12

Failure to obtain Fire Safety Certificate

37 80 2 2 121 92

Unauthorised erection of LPG manifold system

8 159 1 168 81

Sales & supply of Petroleum & Flammable Materials

17 30 1 2 50 41

Non-compliance to Temporary Permit (TP) requirement

3 4 7 13

Others 58 48 2 127 235 86

Total 1057 615 4 521 206 2403 1380

Trending For Notices Issued From 2012 to 2014

2341

2634

171

2303 2403

286

1623

1380

165

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

FHAN NFSO NOC

2012

2013

2014

STATE OF FIRE SAFETY IN OUR BUILDINGS

In retrospect

12832 fire safety inspections conducted in 2013

2303 FHANs, 286 NOC and 2403 NFSOs issued in 2013

Jan – Jun 2014 conducted 6985 inspections

Issued 1623 FHANs, 1380 NFSOs, 165 NOCs

Significant decrease in numbers of fire safety non-compliances in 2013 as compared to 2012

Jan – Jun 2014 figures suggest figures possibly higher by end of the year compared to 2013

Fires cases at commercial and industrial premises

STATE OF FIRE SAFETY IN OUR BUILDINGS

FIRE HAZARDS

Fire Hazards

Non-maintenance of fire safety measures

Obstruction to means of escape

Obstruction to fire safety measures

Overcrowding

Non-maintenance of fire safety measures

EXAMPLES OF FIRE HAZARDS

Non-maintenance of fire safety measures

EXAMPLES OF FIRE HAZARDS

Obstruction to means of escape

EXAMPLES OF FIRE HAZARDS

Overcrowding

EXAMPLES OF FIRE HAZARDS

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

EXAMPLES OF FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Unauthorised Fire Safety Works

EXAMPLES OF FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Unauthorised Change of Use

EXAMPLES OF FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Unauthorised Foreign Worker Dormitories

EXAMPLES OF FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Setting up Trade Fair without SCDF Approval/ Trade Fair Does Not Comply with Approved Plan

Unfolding of Events 17 August 2014, ~1000 hrs

12 SCDF appliances

Affected area is approximately 80 by 80 metres.

About 50 SCDF staff were involved in the firefighting operation which lasted 3hrs before the fire was put out.

CASE STUDY – Fire at Sungei Kadut

CASE STUDY – Fire at Sungei Kadut

Fire Safety Inspection Findings

Findings revealed fire safety violations such as:

Unauthorised change of use from

- driveway to storage all around the premises

- part of factory area to office

Unauthorised fire safety works

- sheds, 20ft & 40ft containers used as storage/ office

Enforcement actions taken against operator

All the above fire safety issues added difficulty to effective

fire fighting and placed occupants at unnecessary risks.

Unfolding of Events

27 April 2014 ~1538hrs

16 SCDF appliances

Fire put out after 2.5hrs, 14 water & foam jets, 80 SCDF personnel

Affected area is approximately 50m x 50m

Enforcement actions taken against operator

CASE STUDY – Fire at Tuas Avenue

Post fire investigation revealed fire safety non-compliances including

Storage of IBC along driveway

Unauthorised change of use from office to laboratory/ storerooms, server room to

director room

Erection of unauthorised fire safety works such as LPG manifold systems

Fire fighting operations hindered and occupants placed at unnecessary risks

CASE STUDY – Fire at Tuas Avenue

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

FSMs to assist building owners in policing fire safety

Building owners responsible in ensuring fire safety standards

CONCLUSION

Good Fire Safety Standards

MCST FSM

SCDF

THANK YOU