SINGAPORE: After a string of lift-related accidents in the past few months, the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA) announced it would introduce a series of measures to enhance lift reliability and safety, starting by tightening the maintenance regime from July 2016.
In a press release on Thursday (Jun 16), BCA said the current regulatory regime requires passenger lifts to be maintained at least once a month, and to undergo an examination, inspection and testing once a year. BCA’s regular audit checks indicate that most lifts in Singapore are in good condition and safe to operate, the authority said.
However, its investigations into recent lift incidents have revealed that the overall standard of maintenance by lift contractors could be further improved, it added.
The new measures include introducing specific maintenance standards tied to key outcomes will be imposed on top of the current regulatory regime for maintenance of lifts. For example, having brakes that are well maintained will help to minimise the risks of incidents like uncontrolled movements of the lift cars. Lift owners and lift contractors are to ensure that the maintenance carried out on the lifts are done thoroughly and achieve these specified outcomes, BCA said.
Currently, all lift owners are required to engage an authorised examiner (AE) to conduct a full commissioning inspection and tests to ensure compliance with regulations. A Certificate of Lift Maintenance and Testing will be issued by the AE to the lift owners and it is valid for a period of one year.
BCA will replace this scheme with a new “Permit to Operate” (PTO) system. Under this system, while AEs will still conduct checks, the final permit will be issued by BCA before a lift can be operated.
Starting in the second half of 2017, BCA will require owners to display the permit in the lift, indicating the lift contractor responsible for maintenance and the name of the AE who inspected and certified the lift. The permit will have to be renewed annually, with certification done by an independent AE.
The authority will also carry out stricter enforcement, including carrying out audit checks on lifts to ensure that contractors achieve the maintenance outcomes and imposing penalties on lift contractors for breaches.
In addition, it will look into building up industry capability throughout the entire supply chain, from lift technicians who are involved in maintenance, to professional engineers who test and commission lifts, it said. The authority said this would ensure the lift industry has the necessary capacity and resources to meet the new regulatory requirements and carry out its duties competently and effectively.
BCA’s Chief Executive Officer John Keung said the authority "takes a very serious view on lift safety".
"We have been engaging the industry and reviewing the lift regulations over the past year, and are now ready to make these changes. We will continue to update and implement new measures to further enhance lift safety in the short and longer term," he said.
Aside from the duty of lift contractors to exercise due diligence, BCA said the public can also play their part by reporting any lift faults that they encounter to the respective lift owners, including Town Councils, for follow-up actions.
More details of the new measures, including training programmes and the building up of qualified lift personnel, will be announced later, added the authority.
Earlier this month, a 59-year-old woman injured her spine when the lift she was in shot between the first and 12th floor of her block when she was trying to go to the ground floor. Last month, an elderly man using a motorised wheelchair died from a fall when a lift stopped above the ground, causing his wheelchair to topple. In March, a lift shot up 17 storeys, trapping a domestic helper for about 90 minutes.
The multiple incidents prompted several Members of Parliament recently to call for BCA to check if the heavy use of lifts affected their reliability and, if so, to consider replacing such lifts before they reached the end of their designated 28-year lifespans.
Lift contractor Yongyang Lift Engineering said the measures would help raise safety standards of lifts.
Said the company's owner Mr Johnny Ng: "Lift maintenance in some buildings may not be up to standard. The building owners leave it to the lift maintenance officers. Sometimes, the maintenance officers would just tick the boxes anyhow - they might be tired or they might be rushing for their next job. After some time, accidents will happen."
- CNA/mz