Sunday, April 10, 2016
THE government has introduced a new law that requires owners of premises that has more than 200 occupants to apply for a fire certificate, to ensure that the buildings are in compliance with the fire safety requirements.
Such is included under the new Fire Safety Order 2016, which was announced by the Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awang Abu Bakar Apong at the Fire and Rescue Department’s anniversary celebration yesterday.
Based on Section 23 of the Order, which could be found on the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) website, a fire certificate is a document issued to building owners when the director of Fire and Rescue is satisfied with the building’s compliance to “fire safety requirements”.
It added that no persons are allowed to inhabit the said premises without first obtaining the certification. The Fire Safety Order 2016 also made it obligatory for building owners to formulate an emergency response plan, which shall conform to the requirements prescribed in any regulations within the new legislation.
Building owners are then required to prepare and execute emergency response plans, and tare obliged to conduct evacuation drills on an annual basis, or to the frequency as directed by the director of Fire and Rescue Department.
This falls under section 24 of the Order, where it also explain that the “minister” has the right to designate any premises, or “class” of premises to an emergency response plan.
Failure to adhere to these provisions is considered an offence although no specific punishments were specified under both sections.
The new Fire Safety Order 2016 also entailed the Fire and Rescue Director’s power to approve or disapprove any proposed fire safety works. Based on this, the director is also given the right to issue a closure to buildings found to have carried out unauthorised fire safety works, and the order is to be adhered within a specified period of not less than 14 days after the closure takes effect.
While the director has the authority to alter the fire safety works, he also has the rights to demolish parts of the building related to the unauthorised ones.
Under Section 34 of the Fire Safety Order, failure to comply with this would make the building owner liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or a jail term of not more than six month, or both.
In the case of a continuing offence, the building owner may be further fined with an amount not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part thereof, during which the offence continues after conviction.
Additionally, any person who caused false alarm of fire to the Fire and Rescue Department or to the police is also guilty of an offence under the law. They will be liable to a fine not more than $5,000 or a jail term not exceeding three months, or both.
In this, section 14 (2) explained that “false alarm of fire” includes a false call for ambulance or other services provided by the member of Fire and Rescue Department.
Damaging the fire protection system, including concealing, activating and deactivating it without a reasonable excuse is also an offence, liable to a fine not exceeding $5,000. While the Order has already been gazetted, the minister of home affairs said that it has yet to be implemented, stressing the need for the public to understand and be made aware first so the authorities could implement them better.
There is no exact date outlined for the actual implementation, but the minister noted that his ministry will begin enforcing the new laws sometime around this year.
The Brunei Times
