Debated in Parliament on 3 Feb 2020.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the frequency of SCDF audits on the functionality of fire hose points in condominiums; and (b) in respect of inspection and testing conducted by a third party for the condominium, what liabilities do the condominium’s MCST and managing agent bear should the points be found non-functional during emergencies.
Under the Fire Safety Act, the MCST is responsible for ensuring that all fire safety measures in a condominium, including fire hose reels, are functional. For condominiums with higher fire safety risks, such as those with a habitable height of more than 24 metres and require certain fire protection systems, their MCSTs are required to appoint professional engineers to conduct an audit of the fire safety measures as part of the annual renewal of the building’s Fire Certificate. In addition, SCDF also carries out inspections in response to feedback they receive.
If any fire safety measure is found to be non-functional, the MCST is responsible. Simply hiring a third party to inspect the fire safety measures does not absolve the MCST from liabilities.
Mr Speaker, I have a follow-up question for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. The issue is that MCST are basically made up of volunteers who live within the condominium or estate. They are not professionals by any nature to be able to have a sense whether what has been checked or what was outsourced as an audit review being accurate. Therein lies the challenge. If there is anything that might have gone wrong, and it was certified and they managed to get their annual certificate renewed, there will be a possibility that the fire hoses are not performing when there is an emergency.
As I had mentioned, the MSCTs are responsible for the management of the common areas and the maintenance of the fire safety measures in the condominiums. If the MCSTs are found to not have done what they should have done, the SCDF may issue a fire hazard abatement notice. Most people, when they get this notice, will rectify the fire hazard. In the event that they are not rectified in accordance with the notice, then the SCDF may make out an offence and issue a notice of composition to the MCST. The SCDF checks and gives them a fire hazard abatement notice, so that they are able to rectify the situation.
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