Fire is one of the greatest threats that most people face in homes and businesses across Singapore today. Regardless of where they occur, fire emergencies have devastating impacts including serious injuries, deaths and huge losses. As a result, various governments across the world have over the years, developed specific measures to make sure that people and their assets are protected from the risks of fire emergencies.
In Singapore, the government has stipulated fire safety regulations that must be observed in all residential, commercial and industrial premises. The regulations are aimed at ensuring that building owners and occupants have the right systems and knowledge for better fire protection and safety. The regulations set the required standards for saving lives and protecting assets during fires in both living and work environments.
What is Fire Safety Regulations?
Fire safety regulations Singapore refer to public policies that define the rules for ensuring fire protection and safety on private and public spaces. The regulations serve as benchmarks for setting, maintaining and enforcing high standards of fire safety in premises and buildings. The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the body tasked with developing, reviewing and implementing the fire safety regulations through the Fire Safety Act and Civil Defence Shelter Act.
Fire safety regulations Singapore vary and touch on a number of issues with regards to fire protection and safety. The following are some of the essentials of fire safety regulations that you should keep in mind.
The Recommended Fire Safety Systems and Products
According to the Fire Safety Act, there are critical fire safety systems and products that every residential, commercial and industrial building in Singapore should have. Among those systems and products, there are some only recommended for homes and small business spaces while others can offer fire safety in all living and work environments.
For instance, the fire safety regulations Singapore requires that every commercial building should have fire and smoke alarms and, fire extinguishers.
The specific fire protection systems and products for your building will mainly depend on the potential fire risks, size of the building and number of occupants. By reading the fire safety regulations Singapore, you will be able to know exactly, the particular fire safety systems and products to buy for total protection on the building.
Requirements for Installing Fire Protection Systems and Products
After buying the required fire protection systems and products, you must again refer to the fire safety regulations for instructions on how they should be installed. Apart from the user manuals, there are unique installation requirements for different kinds of fire protection systems and products that must be observed. An example of such requirements is that fire safety systems and products should only be installed by Qualified Persons. Besides, there are restrictions on the application of fire protection systems and products that you must know before installing the devices in your premises.
Routine fire safety inspections and maintenance
Fire safety regulations Singapore also stipulate regular inspections and maintenance of fire protection systems and products. The inspections are aimed at assessing the environment and fire systems therein to identify potential fire threats. Maintenance on the other hand, seeks to address any likely issues with the systems so that they remain effective and efficient for prompt fire detection and response.
Depending on the fire safety systems and products on your premises, the potential fire hazards therein and how the devices are used, fire safety regulations Singapore provides clearly defined schedules for conducting inspections and maintenance. The procedures must be done as stipulated to preserve the systems in good condition and ensure compliance.
Fire safety certifications and permits
To ascertain compliance with the fire safety regulations Singapore, building owners are required to get relevant certification and permits from the SCDF. Similar to the installation, inspection and maintenance of fire protection systems, only Qualified Persons are allowed to apply for the fire safety certifications and permits.
The main fire safety certifications and permits for business premises in Singapore include Fire Safety Certificate, Temporary Fire Permit, Emergency Response Plan, Chemical, Petroleum, Flammable Material License and Permit.
Penalties for non-compliance
In order to see to it that all building owners comply with the given fire safety regulations Singapore, there are also precise penalties for non-compliance. The penalties vary from fines, indefinite closure of buildings to even imprisonment based on the offenses committed.
At Fire Safety Singapore, we specialize in QP consultancy services; custom inspection and servicing of fire protection systems to enable you ensure full compliance with all the fire safety regulations Singapore.
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