As we operate the hotel, we may want to do some renovation works to improve the service level and guest experience. This will involve application for Addition & Alteration Permit to carry out those works. So, how do the laws enforce all these controls?
Visit the SCDF s Building Professional webpage and you would notice that through the implementation of the laws, a number of work processes and service schemes have been created to support the workflow; namely: The Fire Safety Plan Submission Scheme which we had discussed briefly earlier. Where building plan, fire protection plan and application for A&A Works are submitted; The Registered Inspector and Fire Safety Engineers Scheme, which hold a register of approved inspectors and engineers who are professional engineers in their area of trade; The Fire Safety Manager Scheme, which required designated premises to appoint FSM or senior FSM; The Fire Safety Permit and Certification Scheme, whereby temporary change of use permit, Fire Safety Certificate are issued upon approval being granted; and The Fire Safety Licensing and Enforcement Scheme which issue and track licenses for import, storage and transport of flammable materials under the Fire Safety Act.
Take for instant the Fire safety Plan Submission Scheme; this is put in place to ensure that all Fire Safety Works are only carried out with approval in accordance to Part IV, Section 23 of the Fire Safety Act, and supplemented in details by the Building & Pipeline Fire Safety Regulations. Note that in Part I Preliminary, the Act defined Fire Safety Measures to include Fire Protection Works as well as Minor Works. As long as any works that may affect fire safety in term of fire detection, warning, escape, suppression and so on all such works are considered as Fire Safety Works. Hence, all Fire Safety Works require prior approval before any commencement.
To ensure that building plan, fire protection plan are submitted with proper engineering basis, only approved fire safety inspector and fire safety engineers are authorised to sign on the plan and submit the plan on behalf of the owner. Henceforth, the Registered Inspectors and Fire Safety Engineers Scheme which maintain the registers of approved competent persons; clearly in line with Section 5 and Section 22B together with the supplement of the Registered Inspector Regulations and Fire Safety Engineers Regulations. Hence, under the law, only Fire Safety Engineers can propose fire safety works, while Registered Inspectors inspect the completed fire safety works.
The Fire Safety Manager Scheme is the heart of this course, and we will be discussing this in the next topic. For now, the Fire Safety Act, Part III: Fire Prevention in Buildings call for a fire safety manager to be appointed to assist the owner or occupier in all fire safety measures and fire safety practices.
The next scheme of work closer to the heart of FSM is the Fire Safety Permit and Certification Scheme which involve the need to supervise all fire safety works under Part IV: Control of Fire Safety Works, Section 26, and the annual inspection of building for Fire Certificate. The relevant legislations include the Building and Pipeline Fire Safety Regulations and the Fire Certificate Order for designated buildings. The listing of fire door, fire damper, fire pump under the Fire Safety Product Listing Scheme is also one other scheme of work that arises from the laws.
A true case study in Singapore, about a temple that loses its Temporary Occupation Permit as a result of deviation from approved building plan, poor fire safety works such as missing fire doors, misplaced exit signs, etc. As a result, the temple s Fire Safety Certificate was rendered invalid, thereby having its TOP being suspended.
Next closer, many a time unwelcoming is the Fire Safety Licensing and Enforcement Scheme, which we will be covering more than the other scheme given the scope it covers. Stipulated under Part VI: Control of Petroleum and Flammable Materials, such as Section 36 which prohibit dispensing of PFM in unlicensed premises, this scheme is supported by PFM Regulations, CERT Regulations, etc., overseeing all PFM licensed premises in Singapore including transportation of such materials requiring the appointed drivers to be trained and passed the Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Transport Driver Course. The transporting vehicle is also tracked by GPS-enabled technology; monitoring their movement throughout the whole Singapore island.
Under the HazMat Transport Licensing Scheme, there are only certain approved designated routes to be taken by HazMat Transport Vehicle as shown. Any deviation from the approved route will sound an alarm at the SCDF Operations Centre and the vehicle can be immobilized remotely within minutes by cutting the fuel supply to the vehicle engine.
In addition, there is also strict transportation timing that the transporters need to adhere to. For general PFM in common bulk trailers we see on the road, it is between 7am to 7pm; whereas in cylinders for domestic use or restaurant, eating places, the approved time is extended till 9pm. However, for highly flammable PFM such as Hydrogen Gas in tube trailers are only allowed on the road from 9am to 5pm. It is important to note that under PFM Regulation, S38 (2), transporting empty cylinder or container is regarded as transporting PFM in content. At this juncture, it is timely to ask What constitute Petroleum and Flammable Materials under the PFM Regulations? And we need to know that there are 4 classes of petroleum, and 366 flammable materials under the eyes of the law. The 4 classes of petroleum are: Class O Petroleum, called Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG); Class I Petroleum are petroleum having flashpoint below 23ºC but does not include Class O petroleum; Class II Petroleum are petroleum having flashpoint between 23ºC and 60ºC (both inclusive); and Class III Petroleum are petroleum having flashpoint above 60 C but not above
93 C. For this Class, only diesel is licensable under the Fire Safety Act. And some common flammable materials within the 366 list FM are Acetylene, Hydrogen, Isopropyl Alcohol (or IPA). All 366 can be found in 4 th Schedule of the PFM Regulations.
As prospective Fire Safety Managers we need to know the quantity we can store or transport without the need for a license, called Exemption Quantity. Above that quantity, we need to be able to advise the owner or occupier to apply for the respective storage license or transport permit; these information is stipulated in the PFM Exemption Order as follows: For Class O LPG: Private residential use, can store only up to 30 kg or (2 x 15 kg Cylinder). Clearly, the picture below showed violation; For public eating places, such as Food Centres or Coffee Shops, you can have up to 30 kg or (2 x 15 kg Cylinders) per eating stall, up to a maximum of 200 kg per eating place; For public restaurants, No more than 200 kg or (4 x 50 kg cylinders) per kitchen; And for industrial use, such as Factory or Workshop, maximum of 300 kg (6 x 50 kg Cylinders) or 600 litres (This includes LPG Bullet Tanks having an aggregate storage capacity of less than 10,000 litres).
For other classes of petroleum, the exemption quantity are listed in the table shown; extracted from the PFM Exemption Order. At this point, I would like to bring you back to the hotel project that we had built. If the hotel has 3 backup generators with each generator having 700L of diesel storage tank, the hotel premise would have an aggregate of 2100L of diesel (more than 1500L as stated). Hence, in this case we would have to advise the hotel management that a storage license is required as part of our hotel operation.
For transportation of petroleum, you would noticed that it is still okay for me to put 2 x 15kg cylinders of LPG in my car and drive around the vicinity of course I am not going to do that for no purpose!! So, from the table, if one is transporting any Class of Petroleum below that exemption quantity, one does not need to apply for a transport license.
Similarly for the 366 listed flammable materials, the exemption quantity for storage and transport is range from 2, 3, 5 or 10kg, or 20L in quantity. For example, Acetylene which is a flammable gas can be stored and transported without the need for license if its content is below 10kg and in no more than 2 cylinders of 130kg.
One other dimension that we need to be consistent with is the use of terminology such as Container, PFM Package, and PFM Bulk. A container can be a 1L-Cartridge, 25L-Can, 200L-Drum, 250L-Tank, 700L-Portable Tank, etc. When PFM are stored or transported in container of less than 250L, it is considered as Package Storage or Stored in Package. When they are stored or transported in 250L or more, it is considered as Bulk Storage or Transported in Bulk something as a FSM we need to speak in common lingo as per PFM Regulations.
To police and enforce these controls, the Fire Safety Act and Regulations empower the SCDF as the regulatory and competent authority (under Section 7 and Section 8) to enter into premises before, during, and after a fire to carry out scheduled and unscheduled checks and inspections of fire hazard, fire safety measures, conduct exercises and drills, carry out rescue and fire-fighting, and investigate the cause of fire. In the course of policing, Section 13 and Section 14 empowers the SCDF to issue Fire Hazard Abatement Notice (FHAN) to remove or reduce the fire hazard; failing which the SCDF is authorized to compound the offences and fine the offender up to $5000, including removal and seizure of any property that is causing the fire hazard. If immediate danger, substantial hazard, and no other mean to secure life safety exist, the SCDF is empowered to order closure of the premise for up to 72 hours with immediate effect under Section 15 of the Fire Safety Act.
Anyone who fails to comply with the FHAN is guilty of offence under the Fire Safety Act. The SCDF can also apply to the Court to issue Fire Hazard Order, in the form of an Abatement Order to removal or reduce the fire hazard, A Prohibition Order to prohibit the use of premise, A Closing Order to force close the premise, or Combination of such order. Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Fire Safety Act and Regulations can be liable for general penalty such as a $10,000 Fine or 6-month jail term, or both. As of amendment made in August 2013, the penalty and punishment have been increased to $100,000 or $200,000 Fine, with 12-month or 24-month jail term or both depending on the gravity of the offence.
Alright, I hope I have not been as boring as the laws. A quick review before we end the topic. We had discussed about the Fire Safety Act as the key law to bring building fire safety to higher standard and in doing, we understand that the Act is supplemented by more detailed Regulations, Orders, and Notifications. We also know that the whole fire safe environment is brought about by other complementing laws such as the Building Control Act and that the fire safety manager appointed is to assist the owner or occupier in all fire safety measures. All these were translated into operational scheme of works such as Plan Submission, RI & FSE Scheme, and FSM Scheme, etc. And importantly, we also recognized that for a successful fire safe environment, concerted efforts from all parties are crucial.
I hope this session has helped you understand the controls of fire safety better. You would be able to discuss the various legal requirements of the Fire Safety Act and Regulations from prevention of fires in building to control of fire safety works, and explain the relevant sections within the laws that is relevant to fire safety in building, such as the appointment of Fire Safety Manager, setting up of CERT, etc.
Please go to the list below for your reference and further reading. See you in the next topic.