New laws give SCDF powers to target suppliers of non-compliant bomb shelter products

Published Sep 08, 2026, 05:42 PM

Updated Sep 08, 2026, 05:42 PM

New laws empower SCDF to prosecute suppliers, laboratories, and installers involved with non-compliant bomb shelter products to ensure shelters provide necessary protection.

Amendments also clarify fire hazard definitions and penalise obstruction or poor maintenance of fire safety measures like access roads and hydrants.

SCDF responds to rising fire incidents and continues efforts to improve fire safety, recognising the impact on affected families and businesses.

SINGAPORE - Errant laboratories, suppliers and installers of non-compliant bomb shelter products will be liable under new offences.

The Civil Defence Shelter and Fire Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill was passed on Sept 8.

Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming said while the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has not observed any non-compliance regarding shelter products, the changes are anticipatory.

The new offences cover accredited laboratories that issue false test reports, people who provide false information to accredited certification bodies, and certification bodies that certify non-compliant shelter products.

Also targeted are suppliers who pass off non-compliant products as certified ones, and installers who fit non-compliant products or install them in a way that undermines the shelter’s ability to function safely.

While there have not been cases of non-compliance involving shelter products, there have been cases of non-compliance involving fire safety products such as fire-rated doors, said Goh.

In 2022, a man was fined $20,000 after he forged a document that led to 50 doors being labelled fireproof and installed.

Goh said the number of entities involved in supply of shelter products is relatively small and the SCDF is not expected to exercise its new powers on a regular basis.

He said: “However, these powers are important to ensure that SCDF can act promptly when needed, so that shelters provide the required protection.

“Shelters continue to remain a critical component of civil defence protection in times of national emergency. These amendments aim to ensure that the shelters are able to protect our people when the need arises.”

Other changes include extending the maximum validity period for licences and permits issued under the Fire Safety Act and a class licensing regime for lower-risk petroleum and flammable materials.

These are intended to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses, which must still comply with existing fire safety requirements and be subject to periodic inspections.

Goh said the changes also make it clear that a fire hazard includes the obstruction of fire safety measures outside a building, such as fire engine access roads and accessways.

He said it is critical that fire safety measures such as rising mains, fire hydrants, and fire engine access roads are kept operational and unobstructed so SCDF can effectively respond to fire incidents.

But there have been instances when firefighting operations were hindered because of such blockages. This included the wake tent erected on a service road that delayed SCDF’s access to a fire in Henderson Road in 2022.

There were also instances hose reel cabinets were padlocked , preventing SCDF from using them.

Goh said the changes make it clear that obstructing, interfering with, or failing to keep fire safety measures in proper working order are serious offences for anyone, including building owners and occupiers.

He also spoke about the broader state of fire safety in Singapore, noting the recent series of news reports about various fire incidents.

The SCDF responded to more than 2,000 fire calls in 2025 , which is a 10 per cent increase compared to 2021, Goh said.

He said some may ask why more aggressive regulations were not being implemented to deal with these other aspects of fire safety.

Goh said there was much ongoing work beyond the new changes to improve fire safety in the heartlands, adding that these remain a key priority for the SCDF.

He said: “We take each and every incident seriously, because behind each fire are families and business owners who have to struggle to overcome adversity and pain when lives and property are irrevocably lost.”

David Sun is The Straits Times’ crime correspondent. He has a background in criminology and is a licensed private investigator.

Singapore Parliament

发布于 2026 年 9 月 8 日下午 5:42

更新于2026年9月8日下午5:42

新法律授权新加坡民防部队起诉与不合规防空洞产品有关的供应商、实验室和安装商，以确保防空洞提供必要的保护。

修正案还明确了火灾危险的定义，并对阻碍或维护消防安全措施（如通道和消防栓）不力的行为进行处罚。

新加坡民防部队积极应对日益增多的火灾事故，并持续努力改善消防安全，同时认识到火灾对受影响家庭和企业的影响。

新加坡——违反规定的防空洞产品实验室、供应商和安装商将根据新的违法行为承担责任。

《民防避难所和消防安全（杂项修正）法案》于9月8日获得通过。

内政部高级政务部长吴佩明表示，虽然新加坡民防部队（SCDF）尚未发现任何与避难产品相关的违规行为，但这些改变是预先考虑的。

新的违法行为包括：出具虚假测试报告的认可​​实验室、向认可认证机构提供虚假信息的人员，以及对不合格的庇护所产品进行认证的认证机构。

此外，那些将不合规产品冒充认证产品的供应商，以及安装不合规产品或以损害庇护所安全运行能力的方式安装产品的安装人员，也成为了打击目标。

Goh表示，虽然目前还没有关于避难产品不合规的案例，但已经出现过关于防火安全产品（例如防火门）不合规的案例。

2022 年，一名男子因伪造文件导致 50 扇门被贴上防火标签并安装，被罚款 2 万美元。

吴先生表示，参与供应避难所产品的实体数量相对较少，预计新加坡民防部队不会经常行使新权力。

他说：“然而，这些权力对于确保新加坡民防部队能够在需要时迅速采取行动至关重要，以便避难所能够提供必要的保护。”

“在国家紧急状态下，避难所仍然是民防保护的重要组成部分。这些修正案旨在确保避难所能够在需要时保护我们的人民。”

其他变化包括延长根据《消防安全法》颁发的许可证和执照的最长有效期，以及对低风险石油和易燃材料实行分类许可制度。

这些措施旨在减轻企业的监管负担，但企业仍须遵守现有的消防安全要求并接受定期检查。

吴先生表示，这些变化也明确指出，火灾隐患包括阻碍建筑物外的消防安全措施，例如消防车通道和通道。

他表示，确保消防安全措施（例如输水管道、消防栓和消防车通道）保持畅通无阻至关重要，这样新加坡民防部队才能有效应对火灾事故。

但有时，此类阻塞会阻碍消防行动。例如，2022年，在亨德森路发生的一起火灾中，一座搭建在服务道路上的守灵帐篷就延误了新加坡民防部队的救援通道。

也曾发生过软管卷盘柜被挂锁锁住的情况，导致新加坡民防部队无法使用。

吴先生表示，这些修改明确规定，阻碍、干扰或未能保持消防安全措施正常运作，对任何人（包括建筑物业主和住户）来说都是严重的违法行为。

他还谈到了新加坡更广泛的消防安全状况，并提到了最近一系列关于各种火灾事故的新闻报道。

吴先生表示，新加坡民防部队在2025年接到了2000多起火警电话，比2021年增加了10%。

他说，有些人可能会问，为什么不实施更严格的法规来处理消防安全的其他方面。

吴先生表示，除了这些新的变化之外，还有许多正在进行的工作来改善居民区的消防安全，并补充说，这些仍然是新加坡民防部队的重点工作。

他说：“我们认真对待每一起事故，因为每场火灾背后都有一个家庭和企业主，他们不得不努力克服逆境和痛苦，因为生命和财产已经无可挽回地损失了。”

大卫·孙是《海峡时报》的犯罪记者。他拥有犯罪学背景，并且是一名持证私人侦探。

新加坡国会