Building Professionals

Powerpoint presentations for the recent CERT seminar can be found at http://www.nfec.gov.sg/publication_conf_seminar.html

FSM Regulations ( PDF, 48.60 KB )

The Fire Safety Manager (FSM) Scheme aims to ensure and enhance the fire safety standard within buildings. Through the Fire Safety Manager, fire safety activities and fire prevention measures are also implemented to promote fire safety awareness among the building occupants. Engagement of a Fire Safety Manager will help owners of buildings prevent substantial monetary and life losses resulting from fires. The scheme was given wide publicity since 1989 and with the passing of the Fire Safety Act 1993 and the Fire Safety (Fire Safety Manager) Regulations 1994, it has become mandatory for owners of designated buildings to appoint Fire Safety Managers. The amended FSM regulations which was gazetted on 13 Apr 2007 aims to make further improvements to the FSM scheme.

Fire Safety Managers are required to attend the courses conducted by SCDF at the Civil Defence Academy. Any person who wishes to become a Fire Safety Manager should possess any of the following qualifications:

a. Certificate in Fire Safety Manager Course (Commercial) 

b. Certificate in Fire Safety Manager Course (Industrial)

c. Certificate in Fire Safety Manager Course (17th Batch onwards)

d. Certificate in Fire Engineering Course

e. Advanced Diploma in Fire & Safety Management

f. Diploma in Building Services Engineering in & after 1991 - For Commercial Buildings & Industrial Buildings.

g. Advanced Diploma in Safety, Health & Environmental Management – Year 2001 Onwards

h. Diploma in Building & Real Estate Management – Year 2001 Onwards

i. Diploma in Building & Real Estate Management

j. Diploma in Facilities Management for Business

k. Diploma in Technology (Building Services & Fire Safety)

l. Diploma in Security and Fire Safety Management

m. Certificate in Fire Safety Manager Course

n. Certificate in Fire Safety Manager Course (Conversion Course) – Commercial to Industrial

o. Certificate in Fire Safety Manager Course (Conversion Course) – Industrial to Commercial

For those interested in applying for FSM related courses conducted in Civil Defence Academy, you may contact CDA (6794 5502). For further information on the list of courses conducted, please click here.

Here is a summary of the courses with respective CPD points

Criteria to sign up for Fire Safety Manager Course

- 5 GCE 'O' level passes in English, Mathematics and a Physical Science subject.

From 13 April 2007, all FSMs holding the relevant FSM qualification need to be certified by Commissioner in order to be able to be appointed and practise as a FSM. Qualified FSMs needs to register with FSSD to be certified.

All FSM (Appointed or Non-appointed) who have obtained their FSM’s qualifications before the start of the 1st CPD cycle on 1 Jan 2008, had been given a grace period till 31 Dec 2007 to apply to SCDF via the SCDF’s website for certification.

Newly graduated FSMs who have just passed out within any of the CPD cycle will be given a grace period of 3 years from the date of his graduation to register with SCDF (FSSD) to be certified.

FSMs who wish to be certified can log in to the e-fsm portal.

The CPD program has been instituted for FSMs to upgrade their knowledge and skills and to keep abreast with the new developments in the fire safety domain.

The CPD program may be organised by the SCDF or other organisations in the form of refresher courses, workshops, seminars or dialogues and briefings. However, such activities must be accredited by the SCDF and allocated with points.

Here is a summary of the courses with respective CPD points.

FSMs who have been certified by SCDF are required to participate in the Continual Professional Development (CPD) programme. Certified FSMs will be awarded the specified CPD points upon completion of any CPD programme. FSMs are to accumulate a minimum of 30 points within the 3 years cycle in order to remain as a Certified FSM.

By the last month before the end of the CPD cycle, FSM is required to submit all the relevant documents to SCDF to prove that she/he has successfully met the CPD requirement.

The 1st CPD cycle had commenced on 1 Jan 2008 to 31 Dec 2010. The current CPD cyle is from 1 Jan 2011 to 31 Dec 2013

At the end of the 3-year fixed CPD cycle, FSMs will need to be re-certified in order to be able to be practise in the coming CPD cycle. FSMs need to make application for their re-certification at least 30 days before the end of each CPD cycle.

If they have not met the minimum requirements of 30 points within the 3-year cycle, their recertification will not be approved. They will be deregistered and cannot be certified for that coming cycle. FSM who is not certified will not be allowed to be appointed and practised as FSM.

FSMs who have been appointed continuously for the 3 years cycle and have attended at least one FSSD FSM’s yearly briefings within the cycle; they will be deemed as fulfilling the CPD requirement.

Please take note that this concession will ceased with effect from 1 Jan 2011. Hence, all FSMs are advised to meet their CPD points by attending courses or seminars.

As of Apr 2011 there were more than 721 commercial and 1513 industrial buildings that have appointed FSMs. Owners of new commercial and industrial buildings that have been completed, are required by law to appoint FSMs if their buildings fall into the criteria for having FSMs.

As of December 2004, Arson Prevention Plan (APP) should be included into the Annual Fire Safety Report. A sample copy of the report is available at the following link:

For further clarifications on the FSM scheme, you may contact WO2 Sudiran Riswan (6848 3559) or MAJ Lionel Lee (6848 1522)

Failure to appoint a FSM will result in the owner of the building / premises being fined $10,000 or sentenced to a prison term of 6 months or to both.

In an effort to improve the FSM scheme , some changes have been made to the regulations since April 2007. The proposed changes were surfaced for public comments via the SCDF website; and their feedbacks were taken into consideration in the changes made to the regulations.

FSMs have undertaken additional roles in the current security climate such as implementing the Arson Prevention Plan and conducting table-top exercises. Under the amended scheme, these roles will be formalised. Also, there are approximately 4000 qualified FSMs in the scheme who have not been appointed as FSM. Hence, in order to ensure their knowledge and competency is kept current, all FSMs will be required to attend Continual Professional Development programmes before they can be appointed to undertake this appointment.

The CPD program has been instituted for FSMs to upgrade their knowledge and skills and to keep abreast with the new developments in the fire safety domain. The CPD program may be organised by the SCDF or other organisations in the form of refresher courses, workshops, seminars or dialogues and briefings. However, such activities must be accredited by the SCDF and allocated with points.

All existing FSMs who may be appointed or not, must register with SCDF before the start of the first CPD cycle, on 01 January 2008, to become a certified FSM. The FSM will be issued with a Certification Letter to indicate the period of certification once he/she successfully completes the registration. FSMs who wish to be certified can log in to the e-fsm portal:

http://www.scdf.gov.sg/Building_Professionals/E_Services/index.html

Once certified, the FSM is required to participate in the CPD program, where they are required to accumulate a minimum 30 points within a 3-year period to remain as a certified FSM regardless of his appointment status.

At the end of the 3-year CPD cycle, FSMs will need to be re-certified. If they had not met the minimum requirements of 30 points within the 3-year cycle, their recertification will not be approved. They will be deregistered and not be certified for that coming cycle.

Building owners or occupiers are reminded that FSMs who are not certified will not be allowed to be appointed and practise as a FSM.

The existing FSM Regulations allow a 44-day grace period for the owner or occupier of the designated building to appoint a new FSM to replace the one who has resigned. This results in a long lapse of time that a building is without a FSM to assist the owner with key fire safety functions. As the FSM plays a vital role in keeping a close watch on the safety of the building, it is important that a FSM is available at all times.

Therefore, the grace period for building owners or occupiers to re-appoint a FSM has been revised to 14 days.

The role of the FSM has taken on a bigger dimension, in relation to today’s security climate. Since 2003, all FSMs are required to implement APP and conduct table-top exercises in addition to emergency drills. The objective of the APP is to enhance protection for the building’s fire safety systems against possible sabotage whilst table-top exercises enable members of the Fire Safety Committee to practise the procedures of dealing with emergencies.

Formalising these additional tasks ensures that necessary changes are carried out to improve the overall fire safety in the premises.

The existing regulations stipulate the minimum age criteria for a person to be appointed as an FSM as 30 years. However, on a case-by-case basis, SCDF had allowed FSMs below 30 years of age to be appointed predominantly because they possess the relevant qualifications and competencies. They have since proven themselves capable of discharging the duties of an FSM just as well as their older counterparts. Thus, under the amended regulations, the age criteria for appointment of FSMs will be removed.

Members of public who have further queries or clarifications with regards to FSM matters & regulations may contact MAJ Lionel Lee (6848 1522) or WO2 Sudiran Riswan (6848 3559).