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8. Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)

Fire Certificate

When is Fire Certificate Required;

Under the Fire Safety Act Section 20, the owner or occupier of any public buildings such as offices, hospitals, shopping complexes, industrial buildings and private residential buildings that fall within the following criteria is required to apply and obtain a Fire Certificate. Public building – has an occupant load of more than 200 persons

  • Application For Fire Certificate (FC)
    The Fire Certificate (FC) must be obtained within twelve months from the issue of the Temporary Fire Permit (TFP) / Fire Safety Certificate (FSC), whichever is first obtained. For new FC cases, you are required to submit the forms (labelled as “INFORMATION ON FIRE CERTIFICATE”) to SCDF.
  • For FC renewal cases, an application to SCDF shall be made at least two months before the expiry of the existing fire certificate.
  • Validity of Fire Certificate (FC)
    The fire certificate is valid for one year.

Revocation of Fire Certificate

The Commissioner of SCDF may revoke any Fire Certificate where there is:

  • a breach of any term and condition of the certificate;
  • any misrepresentation of a material fact in the application for the fire certificate or accompanying plans or documents upon the basis of which the certificate was issued or renewed; or
  • knowledge that the fire hazards within the building or part thereof, for which the fire certificate was issued or renewed, have increased without adequate fire safety measures being taken to the satisfaction of the Commissioner.

Penalty

Under the Fire Safety (Building Fire Safety) Regulations 1994, any person who:

  • without lawful excuse refuses or neglects to do anything which he / she is required to do;
  • without lawful excuse fails to comply with the requirements of any notice served on him;
  • without lawful excuse acts in contravention of or fails to comply with any provision; shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both.

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Maintenance of Kitchen Exhaust Duct (KED) At Coffee shops and Eateries

KED fires have disrupted business operations and pose fire safety risk to stall holders, patrons and residents staying above the premises. The exhaust ducts (including the interior) and kitchen hoods of your premises must be cleaned and maintained at least once in every 12 months. The work shall be carried out by a specialist and the records of cleaning and degreasing are to be kept by the owner / operator for verification by relevant authority e.g. during the NEA’s yearly licensing inspection or check, it will verify for compliance. Failure to adhere to this fire safety requirement will constitute an offence under the Fire Safety Act.

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Portable Fire Extinguishers

Under the Singapore Standard, Code of Practice SS 578, Use and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers, the owner or occupant of a premise is responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the fire extinguishers installed in the premises. This is to ensure that the fire extinguishers are in good working order.

Portable fire extinguishers where required to be provided shall be constructed in conformity with specifications stipulated under SS EN 3 Specifications for Portable Fire Extinguishers. All portable fire extinguishers where required to be provided shall be charged, tested and maintained in fully operational conditions and properly tagged in conformity with requirements in SS 578 Code of Practice for Use and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers.

Classification of portable fire extinguishers provided shall be selected in accordance with criteria specified under SS 578 such that the nature of processes and contents within the building concerned can be effectively protected. The size, quantity and siting of these portable fire extinguishers shall comply with the requirements in SS 578 under the respective class of occupancy hazard.

Portable fire extinguishers provided shall be installed and conspicuously marked in accordance with requirements by SS 578.

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