Scaffold netting must meet fire-retardant specifications from March 1 next year

While Singapore has brought its workplace fatal injury rates down to about one per 100,000 workers in recent years, attaining a world-class level of safety and health matched by few developed countries, it is not resting on its laurels.

"Our safety standards must keep pace with emerging risks and lessons from Singapore and abroad," said Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash at the Workplace Safety and Health Awards 2026.

He also announced the requirement for scaffold netting to be made of fire-retardant materials for newly-awarded projects from March 1 next year.

The minister of state added that alongside the reduction in duration of timbre scaffold usage announced earlier in July, the move will help reduce fire risks at worksites.

In a factsheet issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) after the announcement, it said fire-retardant specifications will first be set out by the Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health, with the aim of reducing the risk of flame spreading.

These interim specifications, till March 1, 2028, will be one of the recognised fire test standards under the British Standards, Japanese Industrial Standards, and the National Fire Protection Association of the United States.

Manufacturers, suppliers, scaffold contractors and occupiers of the workplace will be responsible for ensuring that the netting meets the required specifications, the ministry added.

From March 1, 2028, such scaffolding netting must also be certified by certification bodies accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council, in accordance with specifications set by the Commissioner.

Details of the certification will be made available subsequently, ahead of its implementation, the ministry said.

It also advised employers and industry stakeholders to review their project schedules, procurement arrangements and contractual obligations early to ensure compliance with the upcoming requirements.

Meanwhile, they should remain vigilant against scaffold fire risks by maintaining fire safety systems, keeping firefighting provisions and access routes unobstructed, and keeping combustible materials and potential ignition sources away from scaffolding and netting, MOM said.

In January, the Government had said that it was reviewing early observations from Hong Kong's probe into the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire on Nov 26 last year.

In about 90 minutes, flames had spread to two other towers nearby, eventually engulfing seven of the eight high-rise apartments.

The use of non-fire-retardant safety nets and canvases was cited as a contributor to "secondary ignition".

虽然新加坡近年来已将工作场所致命伤害率降至每 10 万名工人中约 1 人，达到了世界一流的安全和健康水平，鲜有发达国家能与之匹敌，但它并没有因此而沾沾自喜。

“我们的安全标准必须与时俱进，吸取新加坡和国外不断涌现的风险和经验教训，”人力部政务部长迪内什·瓦苏·达什在 2026 年工作场所安全与健康奖颁奖典礼上表示。

他还宣布，从明年3月1日起，新中标项目的脚手架网必须采用阻燃材料制成。

国务部长补充说，加上7月初宣布的减少木结构脚手架使用时间的措施，此举将有助于降低工地火灾风险。

人力部在公告发布后发布的一份情况说明书中表示，阻燃规格将首先由工作场所安全与健康专员制定，目的是降低火焰蔓延的风险。

这些临时规范在 2028 年 3 月 1 日之前，将成为英国标准、日本工业标准和美国国家消防协会认可的防火测试标准之一。

该部补充说，制造商、供应商、脚手架承包商和工作场所的占用者将负责确保防护网符合所需规格。

自 2028 年 3 月 1 日起，此类脚手架网还必须由新加坡认证委员会认可的认证机构按照专员制定的规范进行认证。

该部表示，认证详情将在实施前随后公布。

它还建议雇主和行业利益相关者尽早审查其项目进度安排、采购安排和合同义务，以确保符合即将出台的要求。

人力部表示，与此同时，他们应该保持警惕，防范脚手架火灾风险，维护消防安全系统，保持消防设施和通道畅通无阻，并使易燃材料和潜在的火源远离脚手架和安全网。

今年1月，政府曾表示正在重新审视香港对去年11月26日发生的王福苑致命火灾的初步调查结果。

大约 90 分钟后，火势蔓延到附近的另外两座塔楼，最终吞噬了八栋高层公寓中的七栋。

使用非阻燃安全网和帆布被认为是导致“二次点燃”的原因之一。