Buildings with Persons With Disabilities Holding Points

Question:

Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many buildings that are required to have Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) holding points under SCDF's Fire Code 2023 have been inspected for compliance; (b) how man y were found non-compliant; (c) what enforcement actions have been taken; and (d) what percentage of buildings built prior to such PWD requirements have been retrofitted with PWD holding points.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. At the completion of building works, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) requires building owners to appoint a Registered Inspector to certify that all fire safety measures comply with the Fire Code, before the building may be occupied. This certification includes verifying compliance with requirements in the Fire Code for persons with disabilities (PWD) holding points.

2. Thereafter, SCDF carries out routine enforcement checks to verify that the building owners adhere to fire safety requirements. This includes ensuring that escape routes, including access to PWD holding points, remain unobstructed. Based on its enforcement checks, SCDF did not detect any non-compliance related to PWD holding points in the last five years (2021 – 2025).

3. The SCDF does not track whether buildings built prior to the current PWD holding point requirements in the Fire Code have been retrofitted with PWD holding points.