FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS

FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS

13.

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether sufficient fire safety measures are in place on public transport; and (b) what role does the Government play to ensure that public transport operators meet fire safety standards.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) works closely with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to ensure that adequate fire safety measures are put into place to safeguard commuters' interests.

Our public transport infrastructure, such as the Rapid Transit System (RTS) stations and tunnels, as well as bus interchanges and depots, are designed in compliance with prevailing fire safety codes and standards. For example, the MRT stations are built with non-combustible building materials, and equipped with emergency ventilation systems, fire protection systems and emergency lightings. Stations are built with adequate exits so that commuters can evacuate from the platform and station within prescribed timings.

Our trains and buses are also designed for fire safety, with fixtures such as fire extinguishers and emergency exits built in to handle fire scenarios. In addition, the bus operators undertake additional safety measures such as using fire-retardant materials for seats and floor mats.

As part of the regulatory standards imposed on the Public Transport Operators (PTOs) to ensure safety of the RTS system, the LTA has stipulated zero occurrence of fire incidents in trains, stations and tunnels to ensure that fire safety standards are observed at all times during the PTOs' day-to-day operations. The Public Transport Council (PTC) also sets Quality of Service (QoS) standards relating to the operational safety of bus services. If the PTOs are found to be in breach of the stipulated standards, the LTA or PTC may impose a financial penalty according to the severity of the occurrence.

To further ensure that the PTOs are capable of dealing with a fire scenario, the SCDF requires PTOs to conduct at least two fire safety drills in the MRT stations each year. The PTOs are also required to renew their Fire Certificate each year to ensure each station's fire safety standards are up-to-date. On their part, the PTOs conduct regular training and exercises to continuously update their staff of the latest fire safety standards and practices as well as measures to ensure the prompt recovery of public transport services should a fire incident occur.

Column: 1619